Layan al-Majdalawi

Their life

Layan al-Majdalawi was a 2-year-old Palestinian toddler from Gaza, killed in November 2023 during an Israeli military operation. She was shot in an area where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were active. Her death was one of many documented child fatalities in the war, highlighting the extreme danger faced by even the youngest civilians in Gaza. Layan's short life ended in violence, becoming a symbol of the vulnerability of children in war zones.

Born in Gaza in 2021, Layan al-Majdalawi was only beginning to experience life when it was tragically cut short. She lived in one of the most densely populated and heavily targeted areas during the 2023 escalation in the Gaza Strip. In November of that year, during an Israeli military operation, Layan was shot and killed. Her case was one of more than 160 children’s deaths investigated by the BBC World Service. Witnesses confirmed she was killed in a zone under Israeli military control, where there were no reported active clashes at the time. She was just two years old, unable to comprehend the war around her, and her death underscores the indiscriminate nature of modern urban warfare. Her family was left devastated, mourning a life stolen before it had the chance to grow.

How they died

Gunshot wound sustained during an Israeli military operation.

According to testimonies collected by journalists and human rights organizations, Layan was shot in an area where IDF soldiers were operating. She was reportedly not in a combat situation or near any military target. The exact circumstances of the shooting are unclear due to access restrictions, but her case was documented as part of a pattern in which children were fatally shot, often in the head or chest. The IDF acknowledged the incident and said it would be reviewed.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Layan al-Majdalawi, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources