Jerusalem: In a deadly escalation of the ongoing conflict, an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Jabalia in northern Gaza at dawn on Sunday reportedly killed and wounded dozens of people, Palestinian medics reported. The targeted building, which residents say housed at least 30 people, was heavily damaged in the attack.
Footage shared on social media, which international news agency Reuters has not independently verified, shows bodies wrapped in blankets laid on the ground outside a hospital in Gaza. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA and media outlets affiliated with Hamas, 32 people lost their lives in the strike. However, Gaza’s health ministry has not yet released an official death toll.
Later in the day, the Israeli military confirmed it had conducted an airstrike in Jabalia, stating that the operation targeted a location where “terrorists were operating” in proximity to Israeli forces. “These terrorists posed a threat to IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) troops operating in the area. The details are under review,” read the military’s statement.
Israeli authorities have accused Hamas of using civilian areas and property for military purposes—a claim that Hamas denies.
In another report, the armed wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for an attack on Israeli soldiers, saying they killed 15 troops with an anti-tank missile and additional weaponry in Beit Lahiya. The Israeli military has not commented on this claim, and Reuters could not independently confirm the details.
The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported that its operations have been severely impacted by an ongoing Israeli ground raid that began on October 5 in northern Gaza towns and refugee camps. The service did not provide an official death count for the Jabalia strike.
Israel has defended its military operations in Gaza’s northern regions, including Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun, stating that they are aimed at neutralizing Hamas militants actively engaged in hostilities against Israeli forces. Since launching the new offensive, Israel reports having killed hundreds of militants.
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Elsewhere in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike reportedly targeted a home in the Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City, killing Wael Al-Khour, a welfare ministry official, along with his wife, children, and several relatives, according to medics and family members. The Israeli military said it is investigating the incident.
Efforts to broker a ceasefire remain deadlocked, with both sides attributing the breakdown of negotiations to the other. Hamas has called for a truce that includes a prisoner exchange, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintains that hostilities will cease only upon the complete dismantling of Hamas.
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Qatar, acting as a mediator along with Egypt and the United States, announced it would suspend its negotiation efforts unless both Hamas and Israel demonstrate a “willingness and seriousness” to return to the table. The suspension could further complicate an already stalled peace process.
The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas-led attack on Israeli communities, has led to immense casualties. Israeli sources report approximately 1,200 Israeli fatalities and the abduction of 253 hostages. In Gaza, health officials estimate a death toll of around 43,500 Palestinians amid extensive destruction.
