Israeli airstrike kills family of six in Gaza

An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday killed a father, his wife and their four children in Gaza City after hitting their home and setting it ablaze, Palestinian health officials said.

Medics said the strike on the family's house in the Sabra neighbourhood killed Firas Al-Masri, his wife Salsabeel, and their four children — three daughters and a son.

The Israeli military confirmed carrying out the strike, saying it had targeted a Hamas militant and was investigating the outcome of the attack.

In separate strikes since Friday, the military said it had killed three militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two of whom it said had taken part in the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and had held Israeli hostages seized during the assault.

The latest deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks since an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect to more than 1,150, according to Gaza health officials. They say most of those killed were civilians.

Hamas does not usually disclose its military casualties.

The ceasefire halted large-scale fighting but has not stopped near-daily Israeli strikes. Israel says it is targeting militants. Four Israeli soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza during the same period.

The war began when Hamas-led fighters attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel's subsequent military offensive has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.

Nearly all of Gaza's two million residents are now confined to a narrow coastal strip, living mainly in makeshift tents or damaged buildings under Hamas control.