Airstrike in Deir al-Balah kills parents and 6-year-old daughter; other child rescued alive from rubble

A heavy tragedy has struck the Gaza Strip, where three members of the same family lost their lives during an Israeli bombardment, while the couple’s other child was pulled out with signs of life from the debris of the destroyed home.

The incident took place in the locality of Deir al-Balah, where the Israeli air force struck a building, killing Omar Abu Qassem, his wife Asma, and their daughter Habiba. The only one who managed to survive the attack was the family’s son, who was rushed to the hospital due to the injuries he sustained.

Preliminary information was released by medical sources through the Palestinian news agency Wafa. On the other side, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initially did not react to this operation. However, the daily Times of Israel, citing a military official, wrote that the target of the strike was a militant from the Hamas movement.

This heavy civilian casualty comes at a time when international efforts to achieve a ceasefire are facing continuous obstacles. The negotiations mediated by the United States and accepted by Israel in October of last year have not yet yielded any concrete results, leaving the implementation and deepening of the agreement at a standstill.

According to the latest data, the failure of the dialogue has brought a new escalation of violence. Since the signing of that agreement, over 1,000 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers have lost their lives. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that in the last 24 hours, another 13 victims and 18 wounded have been recorded.