Israeli airstrike kills at least five Palestinians in Gaza City residential building

An Israeli air attack on an apartment building in western Gaza City killed at least five Palestinians in the early hours of Saturday, according to Gaza's Civil Defence agency and medical staff at al-Shifa Hospital. The strike hit the al-Asala building in the Remal neighbourhood, one of Gaza City's most densely populated residential areas where thousands of displaced people live in makeshift shelters. Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza, Hani al-Shaer, reported that the attack came without prior warning. He described hearing fighter jets grow louder before three successive strikes struck the apartment, penetrating it and causing further destruction through the floors below. Across the wider Gaza Strip, hospital sources told Al Jazeera that a total of eight Palestinians died on Saturday. This included one person killed in a separate strike in Beit Lahiya in the north and two others who died from wounds sustained in earlier Israeli attacks. Another Al Jazeera correspondent, Hind Khoudary, reported continued bombardment throughout the night, including two large explosions near the al-Haid roundabout in Gaza City in the early hours. These strikes form part of the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza, which continues to cause civilian casualties in densely populated urban areas despite periodic diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire.