At least seven people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a tent camp in Gaza City sheltering displaced families, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence.
A source at al-Shifa Hospital told Al Jazeera journalists on the ground that at least 15 others were injured in the Saturday attack, with several in intensive care, reports Al Jazeera.
Women and children are believed to be among the casualties, said Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City.
According to Mahmoud, Israeli drone strikes triggered “a huge explosion” and a “state of panic” at a United Nations school compound housing displaced people.
“The attack targeted a tent next to another tent, and there seemed to be a wedding going on at that moment,” he said.
“People were seen running out of the displacement site into the streets where civilian vehicles were deployed right away just to transport the injuries caused by the attack.”
The Israeli army told AFP it had “targeted terrorists in that sector”, without providing further details.
The strike came amid continued Israeli violations of the so-called “ceasefire” agreement that took effect on 10 October.
Hamas spokesperson Hazam Qassem condemned what he called a “horrific massacre”, saying it formed part of Israel’s “continued escalation of its war of extermination against civilians”.
The incident was one of several attacks reported across the enclave on Saturday, which together killed at least nine people.
Earlier in the day, a strike in Khan Younis in southern Gaza hit another tent, killing a man who was due to be married later that day, according to local medical sources.
“The whole family was ready to celebrate his wedding. Now, we’re attending his funeral instead,” the victim’s cousin told AFP.
The Israeli military said the individual targeted was a “cell commander” in Hamas’s military wing, without presenting evidence.
AFP, citing Gaza’s Civil Defence, also reported that another Israeli strike in south-east Gaza City killed a 37-year-old man on Saturday evening.
“We’re seeing attacks scale up compared to the early days of the ceasefire,” Mahmoud said.
Meanwhile, Hamas and Palestinian factions held meetings in Cairo with mediators and other groups to discuss the future of Gaza amid the fragile ceasefire process.
More than half of Gaza remains under Israeli military control in defiance of the ceasefire’s terms, despite the agreement’s initial phase which involved the release of the last Israeli captives held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian detainees held by Israel.
The planned second phase of the ceasefire which was expected to include Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual Israeli military withdrawal — has remained stalled for months.
Hamas spokesperson Qassem said the Cairo discussions would focus on ensuring full implementation of the first phase, including an end to what he described as Israeli violations, reopening of border crossings, and the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
He added that the talks would also address elements of the second phase, including proposals for international forces in Gaza and the disarmament of Palestinian factions.
Following the deadly Gaza City strike, Qassem accused Israel of “working to undermine and destroy the agreement”.
