Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in the Gaza Strip was reporting from the besieged territory when he was told his own wife, son, daughter and grandson had been killed by an Israeli air strike.

Wael al-Dahdouh’s family were hit while sheltering in a refugee camp in an area where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had encouraged people to go to stay safe, according to the Qatar-based satellite channel.

Al Jazeera’s news anchor later broke down on air while informing viewers of what had happened to his family.

The channel showed footage of Mr Dahdouh entering the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah to see his dead wife and children.

Mr Dahdouh told the channel: “What happened is clear. This is a series of targeted attacks on children, women and civilians. I was just reporting from Yarmouk about such an attack, and the Israeli raids have targeted many areas, including Nuseirat.

“We had our doubts that the Israeli occupation would not let these people go without punishing them. And sadly, that is what happened. This is the ‘safe’ area that the occupation army spoke of.”