Israeli Strike on Gaza City Apartment Building Kills at Least 5, Wounds 6

GAZA CITY — At least five Palestinians were killed and six others severely injured early Saturday following an Israeli air attack that directly hit a residential apartment building in Gaza City, leaving emergency crews searching through twisted metal and rubble for survivors.

The strike struck a multi-story residential building located in a densely populated neighborhood of Gaza City. Witnesses described a sudden, violent explosion that blew out multiple floors of the structure, shattering glass across neighboring streets and collapsing interior concrete walls onto sleeping residents.

Neighbouring residents rushed into the dust-clouded street immediately following the blast, attempting to claw through concrete debris with their bare hands to pull trapped families from the wreckage before specialized rescue teams arrived.

"The strike happened without warning," said one local resident. "The entire building shook, followed by the sound of falling masonry and screaming. Entire families were inside their homes."

Civil Defense teams and medical first responders arrived swiftly at the scene, deploying heavy equipment and emergency vehicles to navigate blocked thoroughfares and initiate rescue operations.

Paramedics confirmed that five individuals were pronounced dead upon arrival at nearby hospital facilities due to critical trauma sustained in the blast. Six other victims—several suffering from major burns, blast injuries, and fractured limbs—were rushed to emergency wards and remain under intensive medical treatment.

Rescue personnel continue to inspect the damaged structure and clear structural debris to ensure no additional victims remain trapped under the collapsed walls.

The latest strike comes amid ongoing military operations across the Gaza Strip, where residential areas continue to bear the brunt of heavy artillery and aerial bombardment.

Local health officials warned that hospitals are struggling to manage the steady influx of severe trauma cases due to critical shortages of basic medical supplies, clean power, and emergency room capacity. Regional authorities have renewed urgent calls to the international community for a cessation of hostilities and immediate humanitarian access.