By Nidal al-Mughrabi
CAIRO (Reuters) – A complete of 87 individuals had been killed or lacking underneath the rubble after an Israeli assault on Saturday on northern Gaza’s city of Beit Lahiya, with greater than 40 wounded, the Palestinian enclave’s well being ministry stated on Sunday.
The Israeli army has stated it was investigating experiences of the incident, which left one of many highest casualty tolls in months. Earlier, it stated a complete of 73 reported by the Hamas media workplace appeared exaggerated given the character of the munitions used within the strike, which it stated hit a Hamas goal.
Gaza’s well being ministry stated rescue operations had been being hindered by communications issues and by the Israeli army operation nonetheless occurring across the space, near the border line with Israel, the ministry stated.
“Victims are still under the rubble and on the road and ambulance teams and civil emergency can’t reach them,” it stated in a press release.
The strike, late on Saturday evening, got here two weeks into a significant operation across the city of Jabalia, simply to the south of Beit Lahiya, the place Israeli troops backed with tanks have been attempting to squeeze out remaining Hamas fighters.
“Horrifying scenes unfolding in Gaza, amidst conflict, relentless Israeli strikes & an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis. I condemn the continuing attacks on civilians,” U.N. Center East peace envoy Tor Wennesland posted on X.
“Hostages must be freed, displacement of Palestinians must cease, & civilians must be protected,” he added.
Evacuation orders, directing individuals south, have fuelled fears amongst many Palestinians that the operation is meant to clear them out of the northern a part of Gaza with the intention to assist guarantee Israeli management of the realm after the struggle.
Israel has denied any such plans, saying it’s attempting to guard civilians and separate them from Hamas fighters.
The army says it has killed scores of armed Palestinian fighters, positioned weapons, and dismantled a wide range of army infrastructure in the course of the operation in Jabalia, dwelling to one in every of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps.
Residents in Jabalia stated Israeli forces raided shelters housing displaced households and detained dozens of males.
FIGHTING IN GAZA REMAINS INTENSE
The loss of life final week of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar had drawn hopes of a doable opening up of strikes to finish the combating in Gaza, greater than a yr after the Oct. 7, 2023 assault on southern Israel by Hamas-led gunmen who killed some 1,200 individuals and seized 251 hostages.
However the newest incident underscores how intense the battle in Gaza nonetheless stays, at the same time as Israel’s principal focus has shifted north to its operation in opposition to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
Greater than 42,600 Palestinians have been killed throughout Israel’s floor offensive, in line with Palestinian well being ministry figures, and hundreds extra are considered buried underneath the rubble. A lot of the coastal enclave has been destroyed and most of its 2.3 million inhabitants has been displaced.
Because the combating has continued, well being officers have reported stark shortages of meals, gas and medical provides to deal with sufferers within the three remaining hospitals nonetheless partially working within the space.
Officers on the Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and Al-Awda hospitals stated their services had been besieged by Israeli forces, and at Kamal Adwan Hospital officers stated the ability got here underneath Israeli hearth.
