GAZA CITY: An Israeli airstrike on a residential home in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood martyred six members of the same family on Tuesday, according to Palestinian health officials, in one of the latest deadly incidents despite a US-backed ceasefire that has been in place for more than nine months.
Medical officials said the victims included Firas Al-Masri, his wife Salsabeel, and their four children—three daughters and one son. The strike reportedly ignited the family home, making rescue efforts difficult.
The Israeli military confirmed carrying out the strike, stating that its intended target was a Hamas militant and adding that it was reviewing the outcome of the operation.
Video footage from the scene showed emergency workers attempting to extinguish the fire and recover bodies from the damaged house.
Speaking to Reuters, the victims’ father, Abu Yusuf Al-Masri, said the attack occurred while the family was asleep.
“We were unable to save our grandchildren and children from the flames. Most of those killed were children and women, without any warning,” he said, adding that there is “no safe place” left in Gaza.
Later the same day, Palestinian medics reported that two additional Israeli airstrikes targeted a vehicle in central Gaza and a building in Gaza City, killing at least six more people and injuring several others. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on those incidents.
According to Gaza health authorities, more than 1,160 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire came into effect in October 2025. Israel says its operations continue to target militants despite the truce.
The Israeli military said that in four separate operations since Friday it had killed four Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, three of whom it said participated in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and were involved in holding Israeli hostages.
International mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States, continue efforts to advance a broader peace proposal aimed at ending the conflict. The plan reportedly includes the disarmament of Hamas and a phased Israeli withdrawal, although negotiations have shown little tangible progress.
The war began after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which Israeli authorities say killed about 1,200 people and resulted in approximately 250 hostages being taken. Gaza health officials say Israel’s subsequent military campaign has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians.
Most of Gaza’s population of around 2 million people remains displaced, living in temporary shelters or damaged buildings under severe humanitarian conditions.
