Israeli airstrikes across Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 30 Palestinians since last night, according to reports from Palestinian media and medical sources. The Israeli military has tightened its siege on northern areas of the territory, where it has been conducting operations since October 5.
A significant airstrike in Beit Lahiya, a town in northern Gaza, reportedly destroyed two homes and led to at least 20 fatalities, as reported by the Palestinian official news agency WAFA and Hamas media. The Gaza Health Ministry has not confirmed these figures. Additionally, four individuals were killed in the central town of Al-Zawayda around midnight, with further casualties reported in separate strikes in Gaza City and Deir Al-Balah, bringing the total death toll to at least 30.
The Israeli military, while not disclosing specific details, stated that its forces had “eliminated terrorists” in central Gaza and the Jabalia area. Israeli troops also reported the discovery of weapons and explosives in the southern Rafah region, where they claimed to have dismantled “terrorist infrastructure sites.”
In response to the escalating conflict, the Israeli military has ordered evacuations from several northern Gaza towns and a refugee camp, suggesting that these measures aim to establish buffer zones. Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets over Beit Lahiya urging residents who have not yet evacuated to leave immediately. The leaflets, written in Arabic, warned residents that they were “risking your lives” and instructed them to move south for their safety.
Israeli officials assert that their forces have killed hundreds of Palestinian militants and dismantled significant military infrastructure in Jabalia over the past month. The ongoing conflict has resulted in over 43,300 Palestinian deaths since the war began, according to Gaza authorities, with much of the territory left in ruins.
The war was ignited on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 hostages, as reported by Israeli sources.
The violence has also surged in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Health Ministry reported at least four fatalities during recent Israeli military raids and airstrikes. Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza, Israeli forces have conducted almost daily operations in the West Bank, leading to thousands of arrests and frequent clashes between security forces and Palestinian fighters.