Gaza City,( The COW News Digital)Israel has once again violated the fragile peace agreement with a deadly airstrike on Gaza, killing 11 members of the same family, including seven children and three women, in one of the deadliest attacks since the ceasefire was declared.
According to Palestinian health officials, the Israeli strike targeted a civilian vehicle in the Al-Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City. The victims were reportedly returning home when the missile hit their car, reducing it to a mangled heap of metal. Witnesses at the scene described horrific visuals of destruction, with rescue teams pulling bodies and wounded civilians from the debris.
The Hamas movement strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “blatant and deliberate violation” of the Egypt-brokered ceasefire agreement signed earlier this month. “This crime once again proves that Israel is intentionally targeting unarmed civilians, including women and children,” Hamas said in a statement released late Friday night.
The group warned that such continuous aggression could push the region back into a full-scale conflict, adding that Israel’s repeated violations undermine all peace efforts made by regional mediators.
Israeli military officials, meanwhile, have not issued an official statement regarding the strike, but Israeli media reports claim the target was a suspected militant. Palestinian authorities, however, insist that all those killed were civilians, including an infant and several school-age children.
The airstrike follows a series of escalating incidents in Gaza over the past week, including drone surveillance and sporadic artillery fire along the border. Palestinian residents have expressed fear that the ceasefire — which brought temporary calm after months of violence — may now be collapsing.
The Egyptian government, which helped mediate the truce, has reportedly contacted both sides to prevent further escalation. International human rights organizations have also condemned the attack, urging Israel to uphold the terms of the ceasefire and avoid civilian casualties.
Funerals for the victims are expected to take place later today in Gaza, where thousands of mourners are likely to gather in defiance and grief.
As the death toll continues to rise, regional observers warn that without accountability and restraint, the cycle of violence in Gaza could once again spiral out of control.
