

Loay Husam Mohammad Aql, a 17-year-old from Gaza, was killed on October 7, 2023, and listed in the Gaza Ministry of Health casualty records (ID 422592006). Tributes mourn him as a member of the Omar Al-Qassem Forces, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), claiming he was “martyred while storming occupied lands.” The IDF has not confirmed his involvement in the October 7 attacks, and the claim remains unverified. The case highlights the controversial involvement of minors in Gaza’s militant groups, amid ongoing conflict and polarized narratives.


