On Tuesday, May 10, 2025, in the early morning hours, two civilian fishermen were reportedly injured and a child was killed during an alleged Israeli naval bombardment on the coast outside Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip.

According to available sources, two fishermen were injured in the incident. Facebook user Moastafa Moastafa published a list naming two injured civilians, young men named Muhammad Khaled Abu Raya and Muhammad Ibrahim Abu Raya. Some sources further mentioned a deceased child, although none provided additional details. Facebook User Zakaria Baker, a local fishing specialist, further mentioned that 3 other boats were still missing.

Zakaria Baker attached a video to his post showing at least seven small fishing boats, each paddled by one or two individuals, returning from the sea toward the coast, where they were met by a large crowd. The first boat arriving at the shore carried two non-moving individuals — one wearing blue shorts and the other a grey shirt with the Nike logo “Just Do It.” Both appeared to be alive as they were carried to an ambulance. Numerous people along the coast can be seen assisting, including carrying the injured on stretchers and other improvised devices toward waiting ambulances.

A similar video, originally posted by Instagram user @essaqomsn and showing the same events from a different perspective, was widely reposted and shared on social media, including by local media platforms Al Hadath TV, Al Arabiya TV, and Al Jazeera-affiliated X/Twitter account @ajmhastag.

Notably, the fishermen visible in the videos appeared physically very thin. Multiple sources expressed anger that ordinary civilians were falling victim to military strikes while searching for food during a period of widespread hunger.

While most sources described the incident as a bombardment, some specifically stated that the strike had been carried out by naval forces or gunboats.

Where sources identified the belligerent, all attributed the airstrike to the Israeli military.

The Israeli military has not confirmed this particular incident. However, on May 10, 2025, via its Telegram channel, it announced an expansion of operations in the Rafah area, stating that at least 60 targets had been struck over the course of the day.