21 Palestinians were killed and others injured on Thursday evening in a huge fire at a residential building belonging to the Abu Ria family in the Tal al-Zaatar area of Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip, according to the General Directorate of Civil Defense. The victims and injured were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia in the north.

A huge fire broke out in a four-story house where the family was celebrating the graduation of one of its sons returning from Egypt with a doctorate degree, leading to this large number of victims. The Palestinian sorrow enveloped everyone on social media.

The civil defense teams announced extinguishing the fire about an hour after it broke out, where intensive efforts were made to control it and prevent it from spreading to other houses. The civil defense apparatus said that preliminary investigations into the incident indicate the presence of a large quantity of gasoline stored inside the house, which led to the massive fire.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared mourning and lowering of flags for one day, tomorrow Friday, mourning the souls of the victims of the fire in Jabalia. The national and Islamic forces also announced general mourning and called for participation in the funeral processions of the victims' bodies.

All Palestinian factions mourned the victims of the fire, and officials from the factions and the government in Gaza visited the house to console the remaining bereaved family members.

On his Facebook page, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said, "On behalf of the Cabinet, I mourn the victims of the tragic Jabalia fire, which claimed the lives of 21 members of one family, including children, women, and young people. We pray to Almighty God to envelop them with His vast mercy, grant them spacious paradise, and inspire their families, relatives, and our people’s sons with patience and solace, and grant a speedy recovery to the injured."

Shtayyeh announced that "according to the directives of His Excellency the President, the government, represented by the Ministry of Health and all ministries, will dedicate all capabilities to assist the victims' families and alleviate their suffering."