An Israeli air strike killed a man, his wife and their four children in Gaza City early Tuesday, striking the al-Masri family home in the Sabra neighbourhood as they slept, according to Palestinian health officials. The attack is the latest in a series of near-daily Israeli strikes that have persisted despite a US-backed ceasefire agreement signed more than nine months ago.
The deaths underscore the fragility of the October ceasefire, which halted large-scale combat but failed to stop regular Israeli military operations in Gaza. The United Nations has condemned the ongoing strikes, warning that the continued killing of civilians raises concerns of war crimes under international law.
The strike killed Firas al-Masri, his wife Salsabeel, and their three daughters and son. The Israeli military confirmed the attack, stating it was targeting a Hamas member and that it was reviewing the results.
The deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes since the ceasefire was agreed to more than 1,150, the majority of whom were civilians. The truce has ended full-scale fighting but has not prevented near-daily Israeli attacks.
The ceasefire, brokered with US support in October, was intended to halt hostilities in the devastated enclave. However, Israeli forces have continued launching regular attacks, drawing international criticism. Mediators including Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States have been attempting to advance a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump that calls for Hamas to disarm and for Israeli withdrawals. There has been little sign of progress in those negotiations.
From July 13 to 20, Israeli attacks killed at least 57 Palestinians, including six children and eight women, according to UN figures. That tally did not include the al-Masri family.
A video obtained by Reuters showed rescue workers battling fires at the house and recovering bodies wrapped in white shrouds. Firas al-Masri's father, Abu Yusuf al-Masri, told Reuters the family was asleep when the explosion occurred.
"We were unable to save our grandchildren and children from the flames and the devastation. Around five or six were martyred, most of them children and women, without mercy and without any prior warning," he said. "There is no relative calm, and there is no safe place at all."
Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesman for the UN human rights office, told reporters in Geneva: "Nine months after the announcement of a ceasefire, still nowhere is safe for Palestinians in Gaza." He added that the killing of civilians in these attacks raises concerns of continuing violations of international humanitarian law and possible atrocity crimes. "Under international law, deliberately attacking civilians is a war crime."
No official confirmation has been provided regarding the outcome of the Israeli military's review into the strike. Mediation efforts remain stalled, and Palestinian civilians in Gaza continue to face daily risks of attack with no designated safe zones. Additional information on next steps from mediators is awaited.
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