Health officials have reported that about 40 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, late on Saturday. Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesman for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, stated that more than 80 individuals were wounded in the strikes on a residential area in Beit Lahia. The ongoing Israeli military operation in northern Gaza has resulted in an estimated 1,000 casualties since the beginning of this month.
Dr. Maher Shamiya, a senior official in the Gaza Health Ministry, confirmed the death toll of around 40 people, noting that the absence of ambulance services hindered a complete count. Shamiya mentioned that five homes housing displaced individuals were hit in the airstrikes. Dr. Munir Al Bursh, Director General of the Gaza Health Ministry, highlighted the dire situation with a large number of victims trapped under the rubble. Local residents have been working tirelessly to search for survivors using their bare hands.
Communication disruptions in northern Gaza have made it challenging to ascertain the full extent of the casualties in the Beit Lahia strike. Efforts to reach out to the Israeli military for comment are ongoing. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported that in Jabalya, also in northern Gaza, over 40 terrorists were eliminated during operational activities. The IDF troops successfully dismantled terrorist infrastructure and discovered significant quantities of military equipment.
In central Gaza, the IDF engaged and eliminated a terrorist cell in a close-quarter encounter. The Israeli Air Force, in conjunction with ground troops, targeted military structures in the area over the past day. The situation in Gaza remains tense as the conflict continues to escalate.