In a horrific intensification of the current violence, about 100 individuals, among whom were some children, were said to have been killed in a mass Israeli military attack on north Gaza early on Friday, Hamas-run civil defence officials and residents said.
The offensive conducted by land, air, and sea is the most significant ground assault on north Gaza since March. Israeli tanks, artillery, warships, and aircraft targeted multiple civilian-populated areas, including Beit Lahia and the Al-Salateen neighbourhood. The Israeli military stated that it was targeting “terrorist infrastructure” and claimed to have eliminated several militants over the past day.
At least nine homes and tents housing civilians were allegedly bombed, with dozens remaining buried under the debris. Witnesses had talked of horrifying moments as shells poured down in artillery fire, followed by tank thrusts and the release of smoke bombs. Israeli planes had dropped leaflets calling for civilians to leave immediately, which had caused general panic.
Eyewitnesses Recall Night of Horror in Gaza
“We didn’t take anything with us no food, no furniture. We even left barefoot,” said Basheer al-Ghandour, one of the survivors whose family home was destroyed and killed some members including his young nieces and nephew. His brother’s wife is still stuck under the rubble.
One survivor, Yousif Salem, described a desperate flight with his children. “We escaped only minutes before Israeli tanks surrounded the area,” he told them. Reports stated that Israeli armoured vehicles surrounded a school that housed hundreds of internally displaced people.
This military action follows a day after more than 120 individuals were reported killed by Israeli airstrikes in southern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) say they have struck more than 150 “terror targets” across the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours, including anti-tank missile facilities and Hamas military targets.
Mounting Concerns Over Conditions in Gaza Strip
At the same time, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating. Israel’s blockade, which entered its 10th week, has strictly limited access to food and aid. A UN-supported report cautioned that the whole population of Gaza some 2.1 million people faces the threat of famine.
The global community has increasingly expressed concern. U.S. President Donald Trump also acknowledged the deteriorating situation, stating the U.S. had to “help out the Palestinians,” and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration was “troubled” by the emerging humanitarian crisis.
Israel initiated its attack in Gaza after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 raid that resulted in 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages. More than 53,000 have been reported dead in the Strip by Gaza’s health ministry since then.
