Hamas has issued a statement condemning what it described as a deliberate ‘Israeli’ attack on the Abu Shaaban family in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood of eastern Gaza City.

According to Hamas, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) fired a tank shell directly at the family’s vehicle as they attempted to inspect their home, killing 11 members, including seven children and three women. The group called the attack a “fully deliberate crime” and accused ‘Israel’ of intentionally targeting unarmed civilians.

“This massacre comes within the context of the occupation’s continuous violations of the recently reached ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said in the statement.

Hamas stressed that the attack demonstrates ‘Israel’s’ ongoing aggression and disregard for human life, adding that such acts are part of a long record of violations and massacres targeting women and children in Gaza.