Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Kills Entire Family, Ceasefire Deemed a Deadly Illusion
Health authorities in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, reported that an Israeli airstrike on Saturday (20/6) killed five people, including four members of the same family. The tragic incident occurred amidst claims of a ceasefire, which the UN has described as a deadly illusion due to the continuing bloodshed.
The overnight airstrike hit an apartment building in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City. According to the local civil defence agency, the attack killed the al-Safadi family, consisting of a husband, wife, and their two daughters. In addition to the fatalities, 12 others were reported injured.
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed it had received the bodies of four al-Safadi family members, including two children. Nael al-Safadi, a relative of the victims, expressed his anguish over the attack targeting civilians.
‘Around 2 a.m., my cousins were sleeping when a missile struck them. They had no connection to Hamas; they were just innocent children,’ Nael told AFP.
In Geneva, UNICEF issued a strong condemnation of the situation in Gaza. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder called the ceasefire declared since October 2025 a formality that provides no real protection for civilians, particularly children.
Data shows that since the ceasefire was announced eight months ago, at least 265 children have been killed in Gaza. ‘During a period that should have been defined by restraint and protection, an average of one child has been killed every day,’ Elder stressed.
Elder emphasised that these children were not killed in active war zones, but in places that should have been safe. ‘They were killed in their homes, schools, while playing football, or while fishing. They were shot, bombed, and attacked by quadcopters,’ he added.
Based on data from the Gaza health ministry, which is considered credible by the UN, at least 1,012 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect on 10 October last year. On the other side, the Israeli military reported five deaths within its ranks during the same period.
Beyond the fatalities, more than 400 children have reportedly suffered severe injuries, many of them catastrophic wounds requiring immediate medical evacuation. However, Israeli restrictions on access to essential medicines are increasing the risk of infection and further amputation for injured children.
As of the time this report was filed, the Israeli military had not issued an official response regarding the two latest attack incidents in Gaza City. Meanwhile, progress towards a permanent cessation of war remains deadlocked, leaving the people of Gaza in an unending cycle of violence.