Gaza’s civil defense authority, controlled by Hamas, reported that 11 members of the same family were killed when an Israeli tank shell struck the bus they were traveling in, in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City. The incident occurred while the family was attempting to return to their home to assess its condition. This incident marks the highest number of casualties linked to Israeli military activity in Gaza since a ceasefire commenced eight days prior.
According to the Israeli military, soldiers targeted a “suspicious vehicle” that had crossed a demarcated area, referred to as the yellow line, which indicates zones under Israeli control. The military stated that warning shots were fired at the vehicle before it allegedly posed an imminent threat, prompting further action.
The victims included women and children, and a spokesman for the civil defense, Mahmud Bassal, confirmed they were members of the Abu Shaaban family. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has cautioned residents against entering areas still under their control, although the lack of physical markings for the demarcation line has left many Palestinians uncertain about troop positions.
In a separate development, the Palestinian embassy in Cairo announced that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza would reopen for Palestinian residents returning to Gaza. Additionally, Hamas had returned the body of Israeli hostage Eliyahu Margalit to the Red Cross, marking the tenth deceased hostage returned during the ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Meanwhile, tensions remain as the Israeli government expressed frustration over the incomplete return of hostages’ bodies as outlined in the ceasefire deal.
The conflict, ignited by a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 Israeli deaths and numerous hostages taken, has since escalated into a significant military campaign in Gaza, leading to reported fatalities exceeding 67,900 according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpv1nk7dy4yo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss