Eleven members of the Abu Shaaban family, including women and children, were killed when an Israeli tank shell hit their bus in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood on Friday night, Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence said. The victims were reportedly returning to inspect their damaged home when the shell struck, making it the deadliest single incident since the ceasefire took effect eight days ago.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said troops fired on a “suspicious vehicle” that crossed the “yellow line” demarcating areas still under Israeli control. It claimed the vehicle posed an imminent threat after ignoring warning shots. Hamas accused Israel of “targeting civilians without justification,” noting that many Palestinians cannot see or identify the unmarked line.
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Meanwhile, Hamas handed over the body of Israeli hostage Eliyahu Margalit to the Red Cross, while Israel returned 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza. The ceasefire, brokered by the US, has seen 20 living hostages freed and 250 Palestinian prisoners released, though tensions and mistrust remain high.
