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An early morning strike hit a Gaza City apartment, killing two young sisters and wounding relatives. The deaths underscored continuing civilian losses despite the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.
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Deiral-balah,UPDATED: Jun 20, 2026 16:02 IST
An Israeli strike on Gaza City early Saturday killed at least two children in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials said, as near-daily attacks continue despite an October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the incident. Gaza's Health Ministry said more than 1,007 Palestinians have been killed in the enclave since the ceasefire, while five Israeli soldiers have been killed since the truce.
According to the ministry, the strike hit an apartment in Gaza City at around 2 am local time. The death toll was expected to rise as rescue teams worked to recover more bodies. There was no immediate information on the number of people wounded. At the site, an Associated Press reporter saw scattered rubble and chunks of concrete stained with blood.
The bodies of two sisters, four-year-old Zina and 14-year-old Lana, were taken to the morgue at Shifa Hospital, where they lay in white hospital bags surrounded by family members.
"I was sitting at home. The rocket fell on us without a warning," said their cousin, Mohammad Safadi, who had a wound on his forehead. He said he and his wife were also wounded in the attack. "This ceasefire the occupation and the negotiation team speak of is this really a ceasefire? We are civilians. I never held a weapon," Safadi added.
Israel says it targets Hamas and other militants who pose a threat. The war began when Hamas-led militants entered southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Gaza's Health Ministry said Israel's military offensive has since killed 73,018 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, is staffed by medical professionals and keeps detailed records that are generally considered reliable by United Nations agencies and independent experts, though it does not distinguish between civilians and militants and says women and children make up about half of those killed.
In summary, the early morning strike on a Gaza City apartment killed two sisters, left other family members wounded and came amid continuing Israeli attacks in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with the broader war's toll continuing to rise on both sides.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jun 20, 2026 16:02 IST
