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Tragedy has struck again in Gaza, where the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to be tested. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defence, eleven people—all from the same family—were killed when an Israeli tank shell hit a bus in northern Gaza on Friday night. The victims, members of the Abu Shaaban family, had been travelling through the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City to check on their home when the attack occurred.
The incident marks the deadliest single confrontation involving Israeli soldiers since the ceasefire began eight days ago, underscoring the volatility and human cost that persist despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to maintain calm.
Conflicting Accounts of the Strike
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported that its troops had fired at what it described as a “suspicious vehicle” that had crossed the so-called “yellow line” — an unofficial boundary separating areas still occupied by Israeli forces in Gaza from those returned to local control. The army said warning shots were initially fired when the vehicle approached Israeli positions in the north, but when it “continued to approach the troops in a way that caused an imminent threat,” soldiers opened fire.
However, Gaza’s civil defence strongly refuted this claim, insisting that the bus carried civilians — including women and children — who posed no threat. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that the family “was only trying to check on their home,” which had been damaged in earlier bombardments.
Hamas condemned the strike, accusing Israel of deliberately targeting civilians and violating the ceasefire’s humanitarian spirit. “This was a family returning to their destroyed home, not combatants,” a Hamas official said. “There is no justification for this act.”
Ceasefire Under Strain
The tragic attack highlights the complexity and fragility of the current ceasefire, which was negotiated with U.S. mediation. Under the first phase of the agreement, Israeli forces continue to operate in more than half of the Gaza Strip. These operational zones are meant to be off-limits to civilians, but the lack of clear boundaries has led to deadly confusion.
Palestinian residents, many of whom have limited or no access to the internet, often have no way of knowing where Israeli troops are stationed. The “yellow line” itself is not visibly marked on the ground, and Israel has yet to release its exact coordinates, despite requests from international media outlets such as the BBC.
In response to growing criticism, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that the army plans to install visual signs to mark the boundary and prevent further civilian casualties. Yet, for many Gazans displaced by months of relentless bombardment, returning home to assess damage remains a desperate necessity, even in the face of danger.
Humanitarian Toll Continues to Rise
The war, which began after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has left deep scars on both sides. That attack killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 others taken hostage. In retaliation, Israel launched a massive military campaign across Gaza, which has devastated much of the territory.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry — whose figures are regarded by the United Nations as generally reliable — at least 67,900 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes and ground operations since the war began. Among the dead are tens of thousands of women and children, with countless more injured or missing under the rubble.
Meanwhile, much of Gaza City and northern Gaza have been reduced to ruins. Entire neighbourhoods now lie flattened, and basic infrastructure — including hospitals, water systems, and roads — has been destroyed. Despite the ceasefire, aid groups warn that the humanitarian crisis remains catastrophic.
Exchanges Amid the Ceasefire
Even as the bus strike stirred outrage, both sides continued to carry out elements of the ceasefire deal. On Friday, Hamas handed over the body of Israeli hostage Eliyahu Margalit to the Red Cross, which then repatriated it to Israel. Margalit is the tenth deceased hostage to be returned since the agreement took effect, but the remains of 18 other hostages are still unaccounted for.
In exchange, Israel transferred the bodies of 15 Palestinians back to Gaza through the Red Cross, bringing the total number of returned bodies to 135, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The exchanges have stirred mixed emotions in both societies: relief for some families, but also anger and grief for others still waiting for closure.
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire terms by failing to return all deceased hostages, though the United States has attempted to play down the dispute, saying the process of recovery is complex. Hamas, for its part, blames Israel for obstructing the search for bodies, claiming that ongoing military restrictions prevent the use of heavy machinery needed to excavate areas buried under debris.
As part of the U.S.-brokered deal, Israel also released 250 Palestinian prisoners from its jails and 1,718 detainees held in Gaza. In return, Hamas freed 20 living hostages, a move widely seen as a vital confidence-building measure but insufficient to resolve deeper grievances.
Uncertain Road Ahead
Friday’s deadly incident underscores the fragility of the ceasefire and the immense human cost of even brief misunderstandings in a densely populated war zone. For the Abu Shaaban family, the desire to return home — to touch the remnants of a life left behind — ended in unimaginable loss.
Observers fear that such incidents could unravel the tenuous calm and reignite hostilities. Aid agencies are urging both sides to improve communication, clarify boundaries, and prioritize civilian protection. The U.N. has renewed its calls for a lasting truce and a comprehensive political solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict — not just its immediate violence.
For now, grief once again grips Gaza, where even the promise of peace seems perpetually overshadowed by smoke, rubble, and mourning.
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