An apartment building in Gaza City was struck by an Israeli airstrike early on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least five Palestinians, including four women, as confirmed by health and civil defence service officials.
The Israeli military later stated that the strike targeted an apartment in Gaza in an effort to eliminate Ali al-Amoudi, who leads the Hamas political office in Gaza according to Hamas sources.
It remains unclear if the strike that killed the five Palestinians was the same one targeting al-Amoudi. The military mentioned that the outcomes of the strike were being assessed, while Hamas refrained from immediate comments.
The airstrike caused the destruction of the apartment building and triggered a fire, with eyewitness Ahmed Al-Dahdouh describing the chaotic scene as he and others rescued dismembered victims, including women, men, and children, from the rubble.
Among the casualties were a Christian mother and her daughter, as reported by medics. Al-Dahdouh emphasized that the victims were peaceful individuals uninvolved in any conflict, underscoring the tragedy of their deaths.
Israel has escalated its attacks on Hamas recently, alleging that the group has violated the ceasefire by rearming and launching assaults. In response, Hamas denies engaging in hostile actions or rearming, blaming Israel for jeopardizing the peace agreement in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire in October last year, Gaza health authorities have reported over 1,400 Palestinian deaths due to Israeli actions, while Israel has lost four soldiers to Gaza militants during the same period.
The conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-affiliated militants invaded Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and the abduction of 251 others.