Airstrikes struck Gaza on Tuesday, killing 12 people, including six members of a single family, despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The strikes occurred amid ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip, where efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire have stalled.
One of the airstrikes targeted a residence belonging to the Al-Masri family in central Gaza City, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas as a rescue service. Witnesses reported that six family members, including four children, were killed in the attack. Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City received the bodies and injured survivors. The building was severely damaged, with its roof nearly collapsed.
An Israeli military source told international news agencies that the strike targeted a Hamas operative in the area but did not provide further details. Witnesses on the ground described the destruction and the chaos following the explosion. Ahmed al-Masri, who identified himself as a survivor of the strike on his relatives' home, said he heard children calling for help but was unable to save those trapped inside. He helped his own children escape through a window as flames engulfed the structure. Another relative, Youssef al-Masri, said the attack happened around 2 a.m., catching the family while they slept.
In addition to this incident, Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that six more people were killed in a separate airstrike on Tuesday, underscoring that violence continues despite the ceasefire.
The United Nations has expressed concern over the recent escalation, stating that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 57 Palestinians between July 13 and 20. A spokesman for the UN rights office in Geneva, Thameen Al-Kheetan, said the Israeli military has intensified its attacks in Gaza in recent days, emphasizing that Palestinians face insecurity throughout the territory.
Israeli authorities say recent strikes have targeted members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad whom they hold responsible for the October 7, 2023, attacks inside Israel that triggered the current conflict, as well as related hostage situations. Since a truce was established in October, Gaza’s health ministry, overseen by Hamas and considered reliable by the United Nations, reports at least 1,168 Palestinian deaths. Israel has acknowledged the deaths of five soldiers and one civilian contractor in Gaza over the same period.
Restrictions on media access and operations in Gaza have made independent verification of casualties and damage difficult. The situation remains volatile, with diplomats and local officials calling for renewed negotiations to achieve a sustained ceasefire and address the humanitarian needs in the territory.