Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza

Gaza, Oct 3: At least five people were killed and six others seriously injured after an Israeli airstrike hit a residential apartment in western Gaza City early Saturday, medical staff at al-Shifa Hospital said.

The strike targeted the al-Asala building in the Remal neighbourhood without prior warning, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Hani al-Shaer, reporting from Khan Younis.

Remal is one of Gaza City's densely populated residential areas, where thousands of displaced Palestinians are sheltering in makeshift camps.

Al-Shaer said the attack took place during the night while residents were asleep.

“We heard fighter jets getting louder, then three strikes followed, hitting the apartment and killing those inside,” he said.

The strike penetrated the targeted apartment and tore through floors below, causing extensive damage to the multi-storey building. Fires continued to burn for about an hour before Palestinian Civil Defence teams managed to extinguish them.

Al-Shaer described the scene as “horrific”, saying people were trapped under the rubble while they slept.

Civil Defence crews continued searching the site for missing people and bodies, while Israeli drones remained overhead and fighter jets were heard flying at low altitude over the Gaza Strip.

Al-Shifa Hospital said the dead included four women, among them an elderly Christian woman and her daughter.

The six injured people were taken to al-Shifa Hospital for treatment.