Israeli strike on Gaza City apartment kills five, including Christian mother and daughter

An Israeli air strike on an apartment building in Gaza City killed at least five people early on Saturday, including a Christian mother and her daughter, amid ongoing violations of the region's fragile ceasefire.

The attack struck the multi-storey al-Asala building in the crowded Remal neighbourhood around 2:00 am without warning, setting the building on fire and burying sleeping residents under the rubble. Remal is currently home to thousands of displaced people seeking shelter.

Who were the victims?

Among the dead were Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary Hafez Michel al-Najjar. Friends and relatives gathered for their funeral on Saturday at the historic Church of Saint Porphyrius in Gaza City.

"Today is essentially the worst day of my life," said Fouad Al-Najjar, Maysa's son and Mary's grandson. "I lost my mother and my grandmother today."

Neighbours described the family as peaceful and well-loved in the community. Ahmed Al-Dahdouh, an eyewitness who helped pull bodies from the debris, said the victims were uninvolved in the conflict. "We are Muslims and these are our Christian brethren, who are not involved in anything," Al-Dahdouh said.

Church leaders expressed deep sorrow over the loss. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, offered his condolences to the Christian community in Gaza, while the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem issued a statement mourning the women and calling for an end to the bombardment of civilians.

Who was the target?

The Israeli military said the strike targeted Ali al-Amoudi, the deputy chairman of Hamas's political bureau in Gaza, claiming the apartment was being used by the group. The military said the results of the strike were still "under review" and did not confirm whether al-Amoudi had been killed.

Witnesses and civil defence officials reported that the strike caused massive structural damage, tearing through the floors of the building. Palestinian Civil Defence crews spent hours fighting the fires and searching the ruins for survivors, but rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of medical supplies.

Local doctors have warned that treating the severely injured is increasingly difficult due to ongoing Israeli restrictions on importing life-saving medical equipment and prosthetics into Gaza.

What is the status of the ceasefire?

This latest attack comes during a highly unstable ceasefire brokered last year by the United States. While the deal was intended to pave the way for Gaza's reconstruction and the eventual disarmament of Hamas, little progress has been made.

Gaza health officials say that at least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire came into effect last October. Israel, meanwhile, accuses Hamas of rearming and launching fresh attacks, stating that four of its soldiers have been killed by militants during the same period.

Since the wider conflict began on October 7, 2023, Gaza's health ministry reports that more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, with thousands more believed to be lost beneath the rubble.