Gaza: Israeli strikes kill family of prominent human rights monitor

Israeli air strikes on Tuesday killed the sister of Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor's founder Ramy Abdu, alongside her "entire family". 

Abdu said in a post on X that his sister, Nesreen, her husband Mohammed Daoud al-Jamasi and their three  children - Ubaida, Omar and Layan - were killed in the attack along with Ubaida's wife Malak and their children, Siwar and Mohammed.

Parting is painful, but it is God’s will.

This morning, Israel killed my sister, my heart, Nesreen, and her beloved sons and daughters: Ubaida, Omar, and Lian, along with Ubaida’s wife, Malak, and their children, Siwar and Mohammed. pic.twitter.com/D2xhs6YtIJ

— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) March 18, 2025

"Israel may kill us at will, burn us alive, and tear us apart, but it will never succeed in uprooting us from our land. Justice and accountability await - no matter how long it takes," Abdu said in a post on X, which was accompanied by images of his sister, niece and nephew.

In another post, Abdu shared a video of his niece Layan minutes before air strikes near Gaza City in 2021.

Israel killed my niece, Layan, today. https://t.co/hTyG2c4u1q

— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) March 18, 2025

Another image showed his beaming niece Siwar seated on an armchair surrounded by rubble.

Israel killed my niece, Siwar, today. https://t.co/q7mGm6nliA

— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) March 18, 2025

Last night, Israel unilaterally ended its ceasefire with Hamas, killing hunderds of Palestinians, including over 100 children, in a wave of bloody air strikes targeting five Gaza municipalities  at around 3am local time.

The death toll topped 404 with more than 564 others wounded, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Emergency teams are attempting to recover victims still trapped beneath the rubble.

Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera showed children and babies among those killed and wounded.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that medical facilities across Gaza are overwhelmed with mass casualties, with entire families reported to be arriving.

Health facilities across the Strip are running low on basic medical supplies, including gauze and pain killers, with the enclave's health ministry calling for blood donations due to the overwhelming need.

The Israeli military issued forced expulsion orders for Beit Hanoon, Khirbet Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira and Abasan al-Jadida following the strikes.

The army's Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced on X that the army had launched a "massive offensive against terrorist organisations," and that the targeted areas are considered "dangerous combat zones".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has instructed the military to take "strong action" against Hamas in Gaza, accusing the group of refusing to release captives and rejecting all ceasefire proposals.

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," the prime minister's office said in a statement.