Israeli airstrike destroys Gaza family home, killing six members
An Israeli strike on a residential building in Gaza City killed a husband, wife and their four children, while the broader conflict has seen a rise in civilian casualties and displacement.
An Israeli military airstrike on a two-story house in the Sabra district of Gaza City on Tuesday night killed Firas and Salsabeel al-Masri and their four children, who were sleeping at the time. The blast destroyed the upper floor of the home and ignited a fire that reduced the structure to a charred shell.
"We were asleep around 2 a.m. when we heard a huge explosion and realized the house had been struck," said Abu Youssef Al-Masri, the children’s grandfather, as he stood near the damaged building.
Relatives gathered the bodies and buried them in a local cemetery while Israeli drones continued to fly overhead. The incident occurred amid intensified Israeli operations across Gaza, which have included airstrikes on residential areas, tent camps, a hospital shelter, and a funeral procession in recent days.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Thameen Al-Kheetan, said the Israeli military’s recent attacks have killed and injured dozens of Palestinians, including many children, and that the cease-fire announced in October 2025 has not ensured safety for civilians.
Health officials in Gaza report that the death toll since the cease-fire began in October 2025 has risen to more than 1,180, with over 250 of those being children, and that overall casualties since the conflict’s escalation in October 2023 exceed 73,300 deaths and 174,000 injuries.
Israeli ground forces have also advanced the “yellow line” – a boundary that delineates Israeli-controlled areas – further westward, now covering an estimated 70% of the enclave, according to Israeli military statements. Residents in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City reported forced displacement after the line was moved to Salah al-Din Street, with many describing ongoing shelling, tank fire and aerial surveillance.
"We had to leave because the tanks were firing at our homes and the area became unsafe," said Assem Dawla, a displaced resident of Zeitoun.
The expansion of the occupied zone and continued hostilities have heightened concerns among Gaza’s population about access to essential services and the prospect of further displacement.