UN condemns Gaza strikes as war crimes amid rising civilian toll
United Nations officials describe ongoing attacks as potential violations of international humanitarian law, while mediators struggle to advance a US-backed peace plan nine months after the ceasefire agreement.
An Israeli air strike on Tuesday killed six members of the al-Masri family in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City, marking the latest incident in a series of attacks that have continued despite a US-backed ceasefire agreement signed more than nine months ago. The strike occurred while Firas and Salsabeel al-Masri and their four children were sleeping, according to health officials.
The Israeli military confirmed the operation, stating it targeted a Hamas member and that an investigation into the results was underway. However, the attack has intensified scrutiny on the durability of the truce, which halted full-scale fighting but has not prevented near-daily strikes. Health officials report that the death toll from Israeli strikes since the October agreement has exceeded 1,150 Palestinians, with the majority identified as civilians.
The United Nations has strongly condemned the ongoing violence, with UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan describing the actions as potential war crimes. Speaking in Geneva on Tuesday, Al-Kheetan noted that Israeli attacks had killed at least 57 Palestinians, including six children and eight women, between 13 and 20 July. He emphasised that deliberately attacking civilians constitutes a war crime under international law and raises concerns about continuing violations of international humanitarian law.
Witnesses at the scene described the devastation following the strike on the al-Masri home. Abu Yusuf al-Masri, the father of the deceased man, told Reuters that the explosion happened while the family was asleep. He stated that rescue workers struggled to extinguish fires and remove bodies wrapped in white shrouds, adding that there was no relative calm and no safe place for residents.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict remain stalled. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and the United States are attempting to advance a peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas and Israeli withdrawals. Despite these negotiations, there has been little sign of progress in ending the violence or securing a lasting political solution for the enclave.
