GAZA: Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 30 Palestinians since Monday night, Palestinian media and medics reported on Tuesday, as the Israeli army tightened its siege on northern regions of the enclave.
An airstrike struck two houses in Beit Lahiya, where Israeli operations have been ongoing since October 5, reportedly killing at least 20 people late Monday, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA and Hamas media. The Gaza health ministry has yet to confirm these figures. Four additional fatalities were reported in the central Gazan town of Al-Zawayda around midnight, according to medical sources.
Palestinian health officials stated that six others were killed in separate airstrikes in Gaza City and Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza.
The Israeli military reported that its forces had “eliminated terrorists” in the central Gaza and Jabalia areas without providing specific details. Over the past day, Israeli troops have reportedly located weapons and explosives in southern Rafah, where “terrorist infrastructure sites” were also dismantled.
Palestinians have stated that these new attacks and the orders to evacuate residents aim to clear two northern Gaza towns and a refugee camp, effectively creating buffer zones. Israel reports it has dismantled military infrastructure and killed hundreds of Palestinian gunmen in Jabalia over the past month.
Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 43,300 Palestinians have been killed, according to local authorities, and large portions of Gaza lie in ruins. The conflict escalated after an October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in Israel that led to the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
