A five-year-old girl, Saja Yahia al-Sufi, has died after being critically wounded by gunfire in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, according to local reports. The child was shot several days earlier and succumbed to her injuries. The incident adds to the growing number of child casualties in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023. A recent report from the United Nations states that more than 21,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war. The UN has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and for the protection of civilians, particularly children. The Israeli military has not commented on the specific incident. The conflict has caused widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with thousands of casualties reported on both sides. International efforts to broker a lasting peace have so far been unsuccessful.