Nine Palestinians, Including Family Members, Killed After Israeli Fire on Bus in Gaza

Gaza’s civil defence agency has reported that nine members of a single Palestinian family were killed on Friday when Israeli forces fired at a bus east of Gaza City, despite an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson for the civil defence agency — which operates under Hamas authority — told AFP on Saturday that the victims were members of the Abu Shabaan family.

“Civil defence crews were able to recover nine bodies following the Israeli occupation’s targeting of a bus carrying displaced persons east of the Zeitun neighbourhood yesterday,” Bassal said.

He added that the family had been “trying to check on their home” in the Zeitun area when the attack occurred.

In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed its forces had fired on a vehicle that crossed the so-called “yellow line”, the designated boundary behind which Israeli troops are positioned under the current ceasefire deal with Hamas.

“The troops fired warning shots toward the suspicious vehicle, but the vehicle continued to approach the troops in a way that caused an imminent threat to them,” the military said.
“The troops opened fire to remove the threat, in accordance with the agreement.”

The ceasefire, now in its second week, has been marred by several similar incidents. Israeli forces have said they opened fire on individuals who approached or crossed the “yellow line”, citing security concerns.

Since the truce began, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have attempted to return to northern Gaza to check on their homes. Many have found entire neighbourhoods destroyed, with buildings reduced to rubble after more than two years of war.

Several residents told AFP they could no longer locate their homes — or even recognise familiar streets — amid the widespread devastation left by the conflict.

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