GAZA, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least four Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Monday evening in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a residential apartment in Gaza City, according to Palestinian medical sources and eyewitnesses.

Witnesses told Xinhua that an Israeli helicopter fired a missile at an apartment in the al-Nasr neighborhood in western Gaza City, causing a loud explosion that was heard across large parts of the city.

Medical sources told Xinhua that the airstrike killed four people and left several others with varying degrees of injuries. The wounded were transferred to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the strike.

Israel's public radio reported that a deputy company commander of Hamas was killed in the strike.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem accused Israel of escalating its violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza by targeting civilian homes under what he described as "false pretexts."

Qassem called on all parties to take a clear stance to "compel the occupation to halt its violations."

With the latest incident, the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip since Monday morning has risen to six, and to more than 580 since the ceasefire agreement came into effect on Oct. 10, 2025, according to Palestinian medical sources. ■