An overnight Israeli air strike in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia has killed at least 19 people, including nine children, according to medical officials and the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency.
The strike targeted a three-story home near Kamal Adwan hospital, leaving dozens trapped under rubble.
Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal told reporters that several missiles struck the house, where multiple families were residing.
He added that rescue efforts were ongoing as authorities worked to recover survivors and bodies from the debris.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed conducting a strike in the vicinity, stating it targeted a Hamas “terrorist.”
However, the IDF disputed the reported death toll, saying it did not align with their initial assessments and that the incident was under review.
This attack comes amid a larger Israeli ground and air campaign in northern Gaza, launched in October to prevent Hamas from regrouping.
The UN has reported severe humanitarian conditions in towns like Beit Lahia, where residents face tightened sieges and lack access to basic necessities such as food, water, and healthcare.
The UN pointed that no significant humanitarian aid has reached parts of northern Gaza for over two months, leaving tens of thousands without essential supplies.
Hospitals are barely functioning due to supply shortages and frequent attacks. The World Health Organization condemned these incidents, calling them “unacceptable.”
In Gaza City, two individuals were killed in Zeitoun following another air strike, while a separate attack in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood claimed the lives of journalist Iman al-Shanti and her son.
The Palestinian Union of Journalists stated that al-Shanti was the 193rd journalist killed since the conflict began.
A family of four, including two children, was also killed in a strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The IDF has ordered evacuations in nearby areas, citing rocket launches from the region.
The war in Gaza began after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages.
In response, Israel launched a military campaign to dismantle Hamas. The Hamas-run health ministry reports over 44,800 fatalities in Gaza since the conflict started.
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