Following another intense Israeli airstrike as part of its northern Gaza offensive, Palestinians in Gaza rushed to the rubble of a four-story home on Tuesday, scrambling to locate survivors among the devastation. The strike hit a residential building, where at least 93 people were reported dead or missing, mostly members of the extended Abu Naser family. This includes numerous displaced men, women, and children seeking refuge. The Gaza Health Ministry confirmed the toll and stated that the victims were sheltering in the building with little prior warning of the strike.
Neighbors Search Through Rubble
Neighbors worked urgently to pull survivors and bodies from the wreckage, wrapping remains in blankets and lowering them by ropes. As people removed concrete and debris, they uncovered the bodies and body parts of victims, many of whom were children. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 20 children were among the dead.
One witness, Ismail Ouaida, shared the footage online, stating, “There are tens of martyrs here—many displaced people were in this house. It was bombed without warning. As you can see, there are body parts everywhere.”
Escalating Civilian Casualties Amid Conflicting Accusations
While much global attention has focused on Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon against Hezbollah, Israel has been bombing northern Gaza for three weeks in its ongoing conflict with Hamas. The Israeli military claims its operations target militants embedded in civilian areas, including schools and hospitals, a claim that Palestinian civilians refute, accusing Israel of indiscriminate bombing.
The United Nations Human Rights Office condemned this incident as one of the deadliest single attacks in recent months, calling for a transparent investigation. Beit Lahiya and nearby areas, including the Jabalia refugee camp, have faced extensive bombardment in the ongoing Israeli offensive, which Palestinian medical sources say has resulted in around 900 deaths.
Local Reactions and International Concerns
Local residents dispute Israel’s military justification, with some accusing it of targeting civilians. “They are targeting children and women; there is no fighting here,” said Adel, a 60-year-old resident of Beit Lahiya. Many victims reportedly die before reaching medical facilities, where severe shortages of medicine further complicate survival rates.
Rising Death Toll and Intensifying Humanitarian Crisis
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that the death toll from Israel’s air and ground offensive, which began after a Hamas cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, has now exceeded 43,000. Israel’s military response follows a Hamas incursion that killed over 1,200 Israelis and resulted in more than 250 hostages. Israel has vowed to continue its campaign against Hamas until the group is dismantled as a military and governing force.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has voiced concerns about worsening conditions in northern Gaza, describing the area as “a zone of extreme destruction and suffering.” Additionally, Israel’s recent suspension of UNRWA’s activities, citing the alleged involvement of some staff in the October 7 attack, has sparked further concern among international allies over Gaza’s escalating humanitarian needs.
Calls for Immediate Humanitarian Action
On Tuesday, the United Nations World Food Programme urged immediate measures to prevent famine in Gaza, noting that the current restrictions on aid risk worsening the humanitarian disaster. The U.S. has also called for Israel to take concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation or risk potential cuts to U.S. military support.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, reinforced this stance, stating, “Israel’s words must be matched by action on the ground. This must change—immediately.”
Additional Casualties in Gaza as Airstrikes Continue
Other Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday reportedly killed five Palestinians in a crowded Gaza City market and two more in a tent camp in al-Mawasi, a southern area of the enclave, according to Palestinian media and local medical sources.