An Israeli airstrike on an apartment in Gaza City early Saturday killed at least two children, Palestinian health officials said, as deadly violence continued in the Gaza Strip despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the strike occurred around 2 a.m. local time and hit a residential apartment in Gaza City. Rescue teams were still searching through the rubble, with authorities expecting the death toll to rise. No immediate information was available on the number of injured.
The victims were identified as two sisters, four-year-old Zina and 14-year-old Lana. Their bodies were taken to the morgue at Shifa Hospital, where grieving family members gathered.
An Associated Press journalist at the scene reported seeing scattered debris and bloodstained chunks of concrete following the attack.
Mohammad Safadi, a cousin of the two girls, said he and his wife were also injured in the strike.
“I was sitting at home. The rocket fell on us without a warning,” he said, questioning the effectiveness of the ceasefire and insisting that the family were civilians.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident but said it was looking into the matter. Israel has repeatedly said its operations target Hamas and other militants it considers security threats.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect in October, Israeli attacks have continued almost daily in Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry said more than 1,007 Palestinians have been killed in the enclave since the truce began.
The ministry also reported that the overall Palestinian death toll from the war has risen to 73,018, including those killed after the ceasefire.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage, according to Israeli figures.
Israel says five of its soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire took effect.
The Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths but says women and children account for around half of those killed. The ministry's casualty figures are generally regarded as credible by United Nations agencies and independent experts.