The victims included Sami Jawad al-Ejlah, a wholesaler who coordinated with the Israeli military to bring meat and fish to Gaza.Among the dead were his two wives, 11 of their children aged 2 to 22, the children’s grandmother, and three other relatives, according to a list provided by the hospital.
“He was a peaceful man,” said Abu Ahmed, a neighbour. More than 40 civilians were sheltering in the house and warehouse at the time of the strike.
Saturday’s strike came just hours after mediators expressed optimism for an imminent cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas following 10 months of war. The joint statement by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar stated that a proposal to bridge gaps had been presented, with implementation details expected to be worked out next week in Cairo.
The mediation efforts aim to secure the release of numerous Israeli hostages and halt the fighting that has severely impacted Gaza, resulting in over 40,000 deaths and a potential polio outbreak. Additionally, talks are aimed at easing regional tensions that threaten to escalate into a broader conflict, particularly if Iran and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon retaliate against Israel for recent killings of militant leaders.
The Israeli military commented that it struck “terrorist infrastructure” in central Gaza, where rockets had been fired toward Israel in recent weeks. They stated that attacks on militants in central Gaza were ongoing.
In addition to the airstrike, another mass evacuation was ordered for parts of central Gaza. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, in a post on X, cited Palestinian rocket fire and advised Palestinians in and around the urban Maghazi refugee camp to evacuate.
“The suffering began from the day we left our homes,” said Ahmad Omrani, one of those affected by the evacuation order. “We suffer from fear and anxiety and fear for the children playing in the street. You cannot sleep, sit, or eat well.”
The United Nations notes that the vast majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced, often multiple times, and around 84 per cent of the territory has been put under evacuation orders by the Israeli military.
The conflict initially began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border on October 7, killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 250 people to Gaza. More than 100 hostages were released during a November cease-fire. Currently, around 110 hostages are believed to be in Gaza, though Israeli authorities estimate that around a third may be dead.
Israel reports killing over 17,000 Hamas militants, though no evidence has been provided.
Gaza’s health ministry reported at least 40,074 Palestinian deaths in the conflict. The ministry does not differentiate between fighters and civilians in its figures.
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israel’s military reported striking a “terrorist cell” in Jenin. The local health ministry confirmed that two bodies were taken to a government hospital. Hamas identified the two men as commanders in its military wing.
Mediators have been pursuing a three-phase plan, which involves Hamas releasing the hostages in exchange for a lasting cease-fire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.
These efforts have gained new urgency following the killing of a top Hezbollah commander in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut and the death of Hamas’ top political leader in an explosion in Tehran, which was widely attributed to Israel.