Gaza’s civil defense agency reported on Tuesday that an Israeli airstrike overnight resulted in the deaths of 93 people in a residential building in Beit Lahia, with around 40 individuals still unaccounted for under the rubble.
“The number of martyrs in the massacre of the Abu Nasr family home has risen to 93, and about 40 are still missing,” said agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal, who provided the updated toll. Eyewitness Rabie Al Shandagly, 30, described the chaos following the explosion, initially mistaking it for shelling. “When I went out after sunrise, I saw people pulling bodies, limbs, and the wounded from under the rubble,” he recounted, adding that most victims were women and children.
On Tuesday, Palestinians sifted through the debris, searching for the deceased while mourning the loss of loved ones. Disturbing images emerged from the site, including a charred body visible from a window of the building.
Kamal Adwan Hospital received the bodies of 15 victims, according to director Hussam Abu Safia. He stated that 35 injured individuals, predominantly children, were being treated at the facility. “We are still receiving martyrs and wounded,” he noted, highlighting the hospital’s struggle to provide adequate care due to a shortage of staff and medical supplies. “There is nothing left in the Kamal Adwan Hospital except first aid materials after the army arrested our medical team during the military operation in Jabalia,” he added.
Last week, the Gaza health ministry accused Israeli troops of storming the hospital, while the Israeli military claimed operations were ongoing around the area. In response to the airstrike, Hamas condemned the attack, describing it as a “horrific massacre” and accusing Israeli forces of conducting a campaign of ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza.
Since October 6, Israeli military operations in northern Gaza have intensified, particularly targeting Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun, in efforts to disrupt Hamas activities. On Tuesday morning, the military announced multiple air and ground strikes in Jabalia, claiming to have killed around 40 militants.
The ongoing conflict has forced tens of thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes, with civil defense officials reporting hundreds of fatalities in recent weeks. As the situation continues to escalate, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, raising urgent calls for international attention and aid.
