Tragedy struck in Gaza City once again as at least 29 individuals lost their lives and many others sustained injuries following an Israeli airstrike early Friday. The target was a residence owned by the prominent Al-Tabatibi family in eastern Gaza City, as confirmed by a local health official. This incident comes on the heels of a previous airstrike last month that claimed the lives of 35 members of the same family.
Shortly after the initial strike, another airstrike hit an apartment building on Yaffa Street, leaving at least three individuals wounded, according to Mohammad Ghirabah, an emergency doctor at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. The aftermath of the attacks was captured on video, revealing crushed cars and heaps of debris engulfing multiple structures.
Eye-witnesses recounted the harrowing experience, with one neighbor, Ziad Dardis, describing how families were abruptly awakened by screams and chaos in the dead of night. The lack of prior warning compounded the tragedy, with a significant number of the casualties reported to be women and children.
Mahmoud Al-Nounou, another resident, expressed outrage at the loss of innocent lives, condemning the strikes as a grave injustice and accusing the perpetrators of seeking retribution against their community.
Verification of the details surrounding the airstrikes and the resulting casualties has been challenging due to restricted access to the region. Efforts to obtain a response from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) regarding the incidents have so far been unsuccessful.
