Israeli strikes kill 5, including 4 women, in Gaza, health officials say

Gaza health officials say Israeli fire has killed at least 1,400 Palestinians since last October's ceasefire

An Israeli airstrike killed at least five Palestinians, including four women, in an apartment building in Gaza City early on Saturday, health and civil defence service officials said.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The strike destroyed the apartment building and started a fire.

"We were asleep and suddenly heard continuous strikes and heavy explosions, the children woke up startled and started running and screaming," said eyewitness Ahmed Al-Dahdouh.

"We ran out and found that our neighbour's house was struck and there were dismembered martyrs, women, men and children, we started to pull them out, they were scattered under the rubble," he told Reuters.

Last year's U.S.-brokered Gaza ceasefire calls for eventual reconstruction of the territory. But little progress has been made toward implementing a deal to end the conflict that includes terms for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.

A Christian mother and her daughter were among the dead on Saturday, medics said.

"We are Muslims and these are our Christian brethren, who are not involved in anything, they are peaceful people, and everybody loves them, and now we pulled out their bodies, a mother and her daughter," said Dahdouh.

Israel, which says Hamas has been rearming and launching attacks in violation of the ceasefire, has stepped up strikes on the group in recent weeks.

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Hamas has denied trying to carry out attacks or rebuild its arsenal and accuses Israel of undermining the Gaza peace deal.

Gaza health officials have said at least 1,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since last October's ceasefire. Israel says four of its soldiers have been killed by militants in Gaza over the same period.

The war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 others hostage.

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With files from The Associated Press