Israeli airstrikes in the city of Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, have reportedly killed at least 73 people, including women and children, according to Hamas-run authorities in the region. The strikes, which occurred late Saturday night, have also left dozens injured and many trapped under rubble, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the area.
The Hamas-run government media office reported that the bombing targeted “crowded” residential areas, a claim echoed by the Gaza civil defence agency. The Palestinian news agency Wafa stated that an entire residential complex was destroyed in the attack. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintains that it struck a “Hamas terror target” and is “doing everything possible to avoid causing harm to civilians.” The IDF has challenged the casualty figures, describing them as “exaggerated” and unreliable.
This latest incident comes amid a renewed Israeli military offensive in northern Gaza, which began in early October. The IDF claims the operation aims to prevent Hamas from regrouping in the area. The densely-populated Jabalia area, including an urban refugee camp, has been particularly hard-hit, with at least 33 people reported killed in a strike on Friday.
Humanitarian groups have raised alarms about the lack of aid entering northern Gaza in recent weeks. Joyce Msuya, the UN’s top humanitarian official, described the situation as “unspeakable horrors” and called for an end to these “atrocities.” Israeli minister Amichai Chikli confirmed to the BBC that parts of northern Gaza have been “blockaded,” insisting this action is “legal according to international law.”
The conflict has also spilled over into Lebanon, with Israel conducting at least a dozen air strikes on Beirut on Saturday, the heaviest attack on the Lebanese capital in over a week. The IDF stated these strikes targeted Hezbollah’s weapons storage facilities and intelligence headquarters. Hezbollah, in turn, has continued to fire rockets into northern Israel.
In a separate development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported an attempt on his life following a drone attack on his private residence. While Netanyahu and his wife were not home at the time, the incident has heightened tensions further. Iran has claimed Hezbollah was behind the reported attack.
The ongoing conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, following a Hamas attack on Israel, has resulted in at least 42,519 Palestinian deaths and tens of thousands of injuries, according to Hamas-run authorities. The recent killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza raised some hopes for an end to the conflict, but Hamas’s deputy leader stated that the group would only be strengthened by his death.
