Israeli strikes in Gaza kill 12, including family of six, medics say

What the report says

BBC World News reports that local medics said at least 12 Palestinians were killed in three Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, including six members of one family in Gaza City. The BBC said video showed an apartment burning overnight in the western al-Sabra neighbourhood, and a relative identified the dead as Firas al-Masri, his wife Salsabeel, and their four children, Faryal, Salma, Amira and Naim.

According to the BBC, the Israeli military said the al-Sabra strike was aimed at a Hamas operative and that it was reviewing the outcome. Palestinian media, citing medics, reported four more people killed later Tuesday in an air strike on a home in the al-Samar area of central Gaza City, and two others killed in a drone strike on a vehicle in al-Zahra, south of Gaza City. The BBC said the Israeli military had not commented on those two reported attacks.

The report places the strikes amid continuing violence despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that took effect last October. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says at least 1,168 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since then, while four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Palestinian attacks in Gaza over the same period.

The BBC also cited the UN human rights office, which condemned a recent increase in Israeli attacks. A spokesperson said at least 57 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed between 13 and 20 July in strikes on residential buildings, a displaced families’ tent camp and other crowded areas, warning that civilian deaths raised serious concerns under international humanitarian law.