Israeli air attack on Gaza City apartment kills at least five

An airstrike early Saturday struck a residential apartment in the al-Asala building in the Remal neighbourhood of western Gaza City, killing at least five people and severely wounding at least six more, medical staff at al-Shifa Hospital reported. The attack hit one of the city's most densely populated areas, which shelters thousands of displaced people in makeshift camps.

Al Jazeera reporter Hani al-Shaer, reporting from Khan Younis, said there was no prior warning before the strike. He described the attack as occurring in the middle of the night when residents were asleep, noting that fighter jets were heard increasing in volume before three strikes hit the apartment and caused the floors below to collapse.

The impact tore through multiple storeys of the building and ignited fires that burned for about an hour before Palestinian Civil Defence crews extinguished them. Rescuers continued searching the rubble for missing people and bodies while drones and fighter jets were reported flying over the area.

Al-Shifa Hospital said the dead included four women, among them an elderly Christian woman and her daughter. The six wounded were taken to al-Shifa for treatment as civil defence teams worked to clear debris and account for other victims.