Airstrike on Hamas leader’s house kills 4 in Gaza

An Israeli strike is seen left, as smoke from several other strikes rises in the sky over Gaza City on Saturday.

An Israeli airstrike on the home of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayyah killed three members of his family and a neighbour in eastern Gaza city on Sunday, medics said.

Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said al-Hayyah’s son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter were killed and his wife seriously wounded by the missile strike.

Witnesses said the Hamas leader was not home when the airstrike occurred.

Israeli artillery also shelled the neighbourhood of Sheja’eya in eastern Gaza city.

Al-Qedra said rescue teams and the Red Cross were not able to reach the casualties due to the intensive shelling in the area.

He said the death toll topped 100 since the start of the ground invasion into the coastal enclave on Friday. The total death toll in the offensive that started with airstrikes earlier this month reached 252 with 2,600 injured.