Israeli Strike Kills 6 al-Masri Family Members in Gaza City as Ceasefire-Era Death Toll Tops 1,150
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 21
Israeli Strike Kills 6 al-Masri Family Members in Gaza City as Ceasefire-Era Death Toll Tops 1,150
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 21
Summary
Six members of the al-Masri family — a man, his wife and four children — were killed when an Israeli air strike hit their home in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood as they slept.
The Israeli military said it was targeting a Hamas member and was reviewing the outcome, while footage showed rescuers pulling shrouded bodies from the burned house.
More than 1,150 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israeli strikes since the US-backed ceasefire was agreed more than nine months ago, despite the truce halting full-scale fighting.
The UN said Israeli attacks killed at least 57 Palestinians from July 13 to 20 alone and warned the continued strikes could amount to violations of international humanitarian law, war crimes and other atrocity crimes.
Mediators including Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and the United States are still trying to advance Donald Trump's Gaza plan, but there has been little sign of progress.
The UN warns 'nowhere is safe' in Gaza. Can another civilian catastrophe be avoided as the conflict intensifies?
If a ceasefire exists, why is Israel seizing more Gaza territory and expanding its military 'Yellow Line'?
With the ICC's top prosecutor suspended, who will now hold Israeli and Hamas leaders accountable for alleged war crimes?
Gaza 2026: Escalating Death Toll, Attacks on Journalists, and the Collapse of Humanitarian and Political Order
Overview
On July 18, 2026, Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza City, causing immediate casualties and drawing strong condemnation from international media. Among those killed was Ahmed Wishah, an Al Jazeera cameraman, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict and raising concerns about journalist safety. Al Jazeera condemned the incident as a deliberate killing, noting Wishah was the 12th Al Jazeera staff member killed in Gaza since October 2023. This event intensified scrutiny over the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones and highlighted the growing challenges of reporting accurately amid contested claims and escalating violence.