Israeli strike kills seven members of a family in Gaza

The latest Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least seven Palestinians, including multiple children from the same family.

The attack on the Mashharawi family's home in Gaza City killed two brothers, their wives, and their children, according to a relative, Sameh al-Mashharawi.

The renewed Israeli offensive, which began five days ago, has intensified despite a ceasefire that had been in place since January 19.

In addition to the Mashharawi family, Gaza’s health authorities reported that five more Palestinians, including a child, were killed in Israeli attacks in Beit Lahiya and Gaza City. Meanwhile, an Israeli airstrike on Rafah, near the southern border with Egypt, claimed the lives of two more Palestinians.

Israel has stated that its actions are fully coordinated with Washington, while Hamas has rejected U.S. claims that it refused to release prisoners as part of a ceasefire deal.

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The group insists that Israel failed to negotiate the second phase of the agreement, instead demanding the unconditional return of all prisoners under the previous terms.

Meanwhile, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement called on its rivals Hamas on Saturday to relinquish power in order to safeguard the “existence” of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

“Hamas must show compassion for Gaza, its children, women and men,” Fatah spokesman Monther al-Hayek said in a message sent from Gaza.

He called on Hamas to “step aside from governing and fully recognise that the battle ahead will lead to the end of Palestinians’ existence” if it remains in power in Gaza.