Gaza City strikes kill seven amid ceasefire, rights group condemns ‘incompatible’ violence
Casualties rise to 25 as Palestinian Centre for Human Rights warns that continued bombardment of central Gaza violates international humanitarian law, despite the truce in place since October 2025.
Israeli airstrikes struck residential buildings in Gaza City on the first day of Eid al-Adha, killing seven people and injuring 18 others. The attacks, which targeted apartment blocks in a densely populated area, occurred despite a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that has been in effect since October 2025. Survivors reported that missiles penetrated rooftops and living spaces, causing severe casualties and widespread destruction of property.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemned the continued attacks on residential blocks as incompatible with human dignity. The organisation stated that evacuation warnings do not provide legal justification for the destruction of homes under international humanitarian law, nor do they remove the protections afforded to civilians. Central Gaza has become a focus of recent air raids, described by the centre as less heavily damaged than other parts of the enclave, thereby offering more intact targets.
Among those affected was Widad Al-Husari, 31, who was celebrating with her family on a rooftop terrace when a missile strike caused her and her three-year-old son, Rafiq, to fall through a hole in the structure. Rescued by family members, they suffered injuries from protruding metal rods. The strike also killed two women and two children, including 12-year-old Sidra Azzam, whose 11-year-old sister, Sham, had her leg amputated after the blast.
In the Shati refugee camp, 55-year-old Imad Khroub and his family received a forced displacement order from Israeli military intelligence just 15 minutes before their apartment block was levelled by an airstrike. The family was forced to flee with only the clothes they were wearing, losing years of savings and preparations for a wedding. Khroub described the event as a continuation of the war in a quieter form, noting that no safe place remains for civilians.
Since the ceasefire began in October 2025, approximately 930 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,800 injured in continued Israeli attacks. The conflict, now in its 31st month, has seen repeated displacement orders and bombings of homes, markets, and vehicles. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights warned that these actions create an environment incompatible with human existence, as families continue to be stalked by drones and warplanes despite the official truce.
