At least 73 Palestinians, among many women and children were killed and dozens injured in Israeli airstrikes that hit several buildings in the town of Beit Lahiya in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, Reuters reported, citing BTA, citing people close to “ Hamas“ media.
The media office of the “Hamas“ government in Gaza reported that there were dozens injured and missing after the airstrikes. Doctors say the airstrikes targeted a high-rise building and also affected several houses nearby.
The Israeli army has announced that it is verifying reports of casualties in strikes in northern Gaza, Reuters also reports.
An official said that preliminary estimates of the death toll reported by the Hamas media service were exaggerated and did not match the information available to the Israeli army.
Palestinian health officials said rescue operations were hampered by communications and internet blackouts for the second day in a row.
On Saturday, Israeli airstrikes killed 108 Palestinians in various locations in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
„This is a war of genocide and ethnic cleansing. The occupation carried out a terrible massacre in Beit Lahiya, the media service of Hamas, quoted by Reuters, said.
Residents and doctors said Israeli forces had tightened the siege of Jabalia, the largest of eight refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, and had sent tanks to the nearby towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya. Evacuation orders have also been issued for residents.
Israeli officials said the evacuation orders were intended to separate “Hamas“ of civilians and denied that there was a systematic plan to expel civilians from Jabalia or other areas.
In Jabalia, residents said Israeli soldiers besieged several shelters of displaced families, then stormed them and detained dozens of men. Footage circulated on social media, the authenticity of which Reuters could not immediately confirm, showed dozens of Palestinians sitting on the ground next to a tank and others being led by a soldier.
Residents and medics said Israeli forces bombed houses and besieged hospitals, blocking supplies of medicine and food to force them to leave the camp.
Doctors said they refused to obey Israeli army orders to evacuate the hospital or abandon the patients, many of whom were in critical condition.
On Saturday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza with a picture of the slain leader of “Hamas” Yahya Sinwar and the message: “Hamas“ will no longer govern Gaza”.
„Whoever lays down his weapon and surrenders the hostages will be able to leave and live in peace,” the leaflets read in Arabic, according to residents of the southern city of Khan Younis.
The words on the leaflets are from a statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, delivered on Thursday after Yahya Sinuar – “the architect“ of the attack on October 7, 2023, was killed the day before.
At the attack of “Hamas“ on October 7 against southern Israel, about 1,200 people were killed and 253 were taken hostage, according to Israeli figures.
The ensuing war devastated Gaza and claimed the lives of 42,500 Palestinians, with another 10,000 believed to be buried under the rubble, according to Palestinian health authorities.