The Gaza Civil Defense reported that a recent Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, killed 93 people overnight, with around 40 people still unaccounted for beneath the rubble.
Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmud Bassal described the incident as a tragic loss, particularly affecting women and children.
Witnesses like Rabie al-Shandagly, who was sheltering nearby, reported that the explosion, initially mistaken for shelling, prompted a chaotic rescue effort in the early hours. Due to the lack of medical facilities and hospital supplies, care for the injured has been limited.
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Rescuers and grieving families spent Tuesday searching through the wreckage, with some burying the deceased.
Kamal Adwan Hospital’s director, Hussam Abu Safia, stated that the hospital, already understaffed and under-resourced, struggled to treat the influx of injured people, primarily children, with limited first-aid supplies remaining after recent military operations in the area.
Hamas condemned the strike, describing it as a "massacre" and accusing the Israeli forces of displacing residents and perpetrating widespread attacks.
The Israeli military acknowledged ongoing operations in Jabalia and surrounding areas aimed at targeting Hamas militants, with recent strikes reportedly eliminating approximately 40 militants in the area.
Amid the escalated air and ground operations that began on October 6, thousands of Palestinians have been forced to evacuate northern Gaza.
The World Health Organization also highlighted the dire medical shortages in northern Gaza hospitals. Only a few staff members remain at Kamal Adwan Hospital to care for an overwhelming number of patients.
