Before 11:29 a.m. on March 31, 2026, two-year-old, Yahya Mahmoud Muhammad al-Bayouk and his father, a 25-year-old policeman, Mahmoud Muhammad Suleiman al-Bayouk, were killed, and another man and his child were injured, in an alleged Israeli airstrike or drone strike on a group of civilians in the al-Balad area in the Al-Bayouk neighborhood south of Khan Younis, the Gaza Strip.
On April 3, 2026, a Telegram account which routinely posts tributes to individuals who were killed in Gaza and affiliated with a militant group posted a tribute to Mahmoud Muhammad. The video showed Mahmoud in his police uniform, interspersed between clips of men shootings guns and appearing to engage in militant activity. As it's unclear if the activity depicted shows Mahmoud serving in his police capacity or as a militant, his civilian status has been recorded as contested. This will be updated should additional information become available.
On Facebook, Hani Aslhaer was among the earliest to report the incident, writing that “citizens were killed and wounded in an Israeli drone strike south of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip.” This information was also reported by @qudsn, @Syria TV and other sources.
At 1:04 p.m. on March 31, Facebook user Hamla Kaddour reported that “A child was injured in an Israeli bombing that targeted a gathering of civilians in the Al-Bayouk area, south of Khan Younis. The attack resulted in the death of a man and his child, and the injury of another man and his child, amid escalating Israeli violations against civilians.”
Also on Facebook, journalist Ihab Fasfous shared horrifying details on the incident. According to him, there were at least two martyrs in the al-Balad area of the al-Bayouk neighborhood, and “their bodies [were] torn to pieces.” He added: “One of them was a child sitting in his father’s lap before their lives mercilessly ended…”
One of the victims identified, Mahmoud Muhammad Suleiman al-Bayouk, was a 25-year-old policeman, according to the website Genocide in Gaza. Hamla Kaddour noted that Mahmoud had been killed along with his eldest son, Yahya, and shared images of the father and his son. In one image, Mahmoud is seen sitting in the driver’s seat of a car, wearing a police uniform. A black and white photo shows him dressed in a formal suit. His eldest son, Yahya, who was two years old according to the Genocide in Gaza, is shown wearing blue fluffy overalls.
Hazem Al-Bayouk mourned his cousin Mahmoud on Facebook, noting that he was killed “in a treacherous attack in the Al-Bayouk neighborhood.” He added an image of himself and Mahmoud sitting at a table along with another man.
Also on Facebook, ‘Al-Bayouk family news’ wrote an emotional tribute to Mahmoud and his son, emphasizing that “after a life filled with steadfastness and sacrifice, our martyr was an example of courage and bravery, a relentless pursuer of collaborators, fearless of danger and unwavering in the face of challenges.”
Another Facebook user, Abu Anas Al-Maqdisi, praised the deceased policeman, saying that “Mahmoud was no ordinary man… he possessed a believing heart and a resolute spirit. He knew the path of truth and followed it, and he was raised on the values of sacrifice and dignity in a home that offered its dearest sons as martyrs. His brothers preceded him to Paradise, and today he joins them, patient and resigned, unwavering in his commitment, as if this were a family chosen by God to be an example of patience and selflessness.” He added that Mahmoud was known “for his good character, his honesty, his zeal for his religion and homeland, his pleasant company, and his pursuit of good. His features bore the dignity of men, his words reflected the sincerity of his stance, and his actions demonstrated devotion.”
Many sources on social media mentioned that Mahmoud had “joined his brothers,” who had been killed before. His niece, Alaa Muhammad Al-Bayouk, specifically mentioned “three brothers” on Facebook, writing: “My uncle, the martyr Mahmoud Muhammad Suleiman Al-Bayouk, and his young son have been martyred, joining his three brothers. The calamity is immense, the wound is deep, and the sorrow profound.”
Another Facebook user named Ismail Abu Omar shared images of an emotional farewell to Mahmoud and his son. A man and a child are seen crying over the two shrouded bodies of the victims.
Where sources identified the belligerent, all sources attributed the strike to the Israeli military.
The sources differed on the nature of the strike, with most of them reporting a drone strike, but some, including @paldf and Genocide in Gaza, alleging that this was an airstrike.
According to the website Genocide in Gaza, the attack happened without prior warning.