A large-scale Israeli attack on north Gaza has killed nearly 100 people, including children, and injured many more. The Hamas-run civil defense and residents reported that at least nine homes and tents were bombed overnight, with dozens of calls received from people trapped.
Witnesses described smoke bombs, artillery shelling, and tanks in Beit Lahia. Israel’s military said it was “operating to locate and dismantle terrorist infrastructure sites” and had eliminated several terrorists over the past day.
The attack is the largest ground assault on north Gaza since Israel resumed its offensive in March. Survivors reported intense bombing from all sides, with one witness saying his brother’s house collapsed during the attack.
The situation has raised fears of a major military offensive by Israel, which has pledged to intensify operations in Gaza and indefinitely reoccupy the Strip if Hamas does not accept a proposal for a temporary ceasefire.
A recent UN-backed report said that Gaza’s population is at critical risk of famine due to an increasingly detrimental humanitarian impact of Israel’s 10-week blockade. The US and Israel have been criticized for their handling of the crisis, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the administration was “troubled” by the humanitarian situation.
Since the start of the conflict in October 2023, at least 53,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crr704wwklgo