Gaza City, Palestine— An airstrike hit a heavily populated residential block, killing five members of one family and injuring several others as homes collapsed onto a narrow street.
The strike occurred without prior warning to residents on the block, according to neighbors. The blast leveled at least two structures and damaged several more. Dust covered the area within seconds, and cries were heard from under concrete slabs.
Medical workers confirmed five dead from the same family, including two children. Their bodies were recovered from the remains of their house. Several other residents were pulled out with fractures and lacerations and taken to a nearby hospital that was already operating at capacity.
The block is densely built, with multi-story homes sharing walls. That density amplified the damage. Rescue was carried out largely by hand, with neighbors using hammers and bare hands to lift debris before civil defense teams arrived with limited equipment.
"There was no warning, the house just came down," a neighbor who helped in the rescue said. "We found the family under the same room. We could not do much until help arrived." He said the street was full of people when the strike occurred.
Civil defense said access was hampered by rubble blocking the main alley. Ambulances could not reach the site directly, forcing medics to carry stretchers over debris. Power in the area had been out for hours before the strike.
The incident adds to a series of residential block strikes that have killed multiple members of single families. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned about the impact of such strikes on crowded neighborhoods where evacuation options are limited.
No immediate statement was issued regarding the intended target of the strike. The Israeli military typically says it targets militant infrastructure and takes precautions to mitigate civilian harm, while acknowledging operational reviews after incidents.
Families from adjacent buildings left the area carrying belongings, fearing further strikes. Some sought shelter in schools already housing displaced persons.
The rubble at the site remained unstable by nightfall, with civil defense warning residents to stay clear while search efforts continued.
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