Gaza's Hamas-run civil defence says 11 people were killed, all from the same family, after the bus they were in was hit by an Israeli tank shell in northern Gaza.
The Abu Shaaban family, it said, were trying to reach their home to inspect it when the incident happened in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City on Friday night.
This is the deadliest single incident involving Israeli soldiers in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire eight days ago.
The Israeli military said soldiers had fired at a suspicious vehicle that had crossed the so-called yellow line demarcating the area still occupied by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Israeli soldiers continue to operate in more than half of the Gaza Strip, under the terms of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP news agency the victims were killed while trying to check on their home in the area. The dead included women and children, according to the civil defence.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) stated a suspicious vehicle was identified crossing the yellow line and approaching IDF troops operating in the northern Gaza Strip, prompting its forces to fire warning shots towards the vehicle. However, the vehicle reportedly continued its approach in a manner that posed an imminent threat.
Hamas condemned the attack, stating that the family had been targeted without justification. With limited internet access in Gaza, many residents remain unaware of the exact positioning of Israeli troops, complicating civilian movement and safety during the ceasefire.
In a separate development, Hamas released the body of Israeli hostage Eliyahu Margalit to the Red Cross on the same day, while the Israeli ministry shared that it handed over bodies of Palestinian individuals as part of an ongoing exchange.
The tragic death of the Abu Shaaban family underscores the continued fragility of the ceasefire and the necessity for protection and clearer communication for civilians in conflict zones.
