Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Seaport Cafe Kills Eight, Including Women and Children

An Israeli airstrike on a cafe in the seaport area west of Gaza City on Tuesday killed eight Palestinians, including women and four members of Hamas, according to local officials. The strike also wounded ten others, most of them women and children who had gathered at the seaside spot to escape the summer heat.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and devastation. Ibrahim Ghattas, who was at the cafe, said two missiles hit the area with great force as people sat nearby. "We rushed to rescue people. It was a massacre, there were body parts, and women and children among the dead and injured," he said, adding that many displaced people and others seeking respite were present.

The seaport area has become a shelter for hundreds of displaced Palestinian families who have been living there in tents for months. Abu Samir Asaliya, a displaced resident, recounted the moment the missile struck near his tent. "We thought our own tent had been hit. When we looked outside, there were many people here who had come to escape the heat... They were torn apart," he said.

Another displaced woman, Abeer Hammam, described seeing victims everywhere. "The missile struck people here, children and women who were sitting at the cafe. There were victims everywhere, adults, children and young people," she said.

Hamas condemned the attack, suggesting it was aimed at sabotaging ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire or move toward a second phase of the agreement involving the group's disarmament. The strike comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts, including talks between U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two agreed to establish working groups to advance the demilitarization of Gaza and address infrastructure and public health needs.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu rejected a U.S.-backed 15-point roadmap for Gaza, insisting Israel will not withdraw until Hamas is fully disarmed. Hamas has tied any progress to arrangements concerning a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, and the future administration of the enclave.