Israeli bombing in Gaza kills Palestinian family preparing for Eid

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip killed six members of a Palestinian family, including the father, mother, and three children. They were preparing to celebrate the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr at the time. This tragedy serves as yet another stark reminder of the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, where civilians are paying a terrible price.

The death toll has been steadily rising since Israel violated the ceasefire agreement. The war, which began in October 2023, has already resulted in the deaths of at least 50,000 Palestinians. The family had been seeking refuge in a tent in the so-called "humanitarian zone" of the al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis. They had hoped to escape the ravages of war in a relatively safe area, but they were not spared.

Bassam Al-Ajrami, the grandfather of the children who died, struggles to comprehend the tragedy. "They were a normal family, mostly children," he said. Al-Ajrami told Middle East Eye: "We don't know why, I don't understand, they were in a tent in a 'humanitarian zone'." His voice was filled with confusion and grief. He emphasized that his son-in-law was a peaceful man who should not have been targeted.

The attack killed the 40-year-old father, Mohammed Ibrahim Inhasi, the 38-year-old mother, Anham Al-Ajrami, and three children: 14-year-old Ibrahim, 10-year-old Mohammed, and 4-year-old Ahmed. The only survivor was 13-year-old Maria, who was injured and taken to the hospital. Mohammed's sister, Anam Inhasi, described her brother as a peaceful, hardworking man. "He was a well-known athlete, fitness coach, and school teacher," she said, noting that Mohammed had never done anything that could have made him a target for the Israeli army.

Just days before, the family had been preparing for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr. Anham had bought new clothes for the children to celebrate the holiday. According to Anam, their four-year-old son, Ahmed, was particularly excited, jumping up and down as he tried on his new clothes. Anam recalled that she last saw them the day before the bombing. "I told Anham that Ahmed's new shirt was too small, but she insisted that the clothes fit perfectly." Ahmed had been playing, riding on her shoulders. "These children were innocent. Was it their fault?" she asked, struggling to understand the senseless loss of her family.

Al-Ajrami expressed the painful reality of the ongoing suffering in Gaza, and the disappointment of seeing no end in sight. "The world is silently watching the siege and the brutal war against us," he said, his tone filled with disillusionment. "There is nothing to say to the world." Israeli forces resumed bombing Gaza last week after breaking a ceasefire agreement reached with Hamas two months prior. The ceasefire was broken on March 18, when Israeli warplanes bombed dozens of homes and shelters as people were waking up to eat their pre-dawn meal during Ramadan, killing 400 civilians, including nearly 200 children.

Since then, continued Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed another 400 Palestinians. According to data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli forces have killed more than 50,000 Palestinians since October 2023, including nearly 15,000 children. More than 113,000 people have been injured. The ceasefire agreement violated by Israel was a three-stage agreement, beginning with a temporary cessation of hostilities, and aimed at achieving a permanent end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. However, Israel refused to enter the second phase of the agreement as agreed, instead seeking to extend the first phase, thereby delaying the end of the war and the complete withdrawal.