Israeli airstrike on residential block in Gaza kills 100
The United States, Israel's key ally and supporter, condemned the strike—which resulted in numerous child casualties—as "horrifying."
On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential block in Gaza, killing close to 100 people, as reported by Gaza's civil defense agency. Rescuers searched for survivors amid ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza and Lebanon. The United States, a key ally of Israel, condemned the attack—which resulted in numerous child fatalities—as "horrifying."
This strike has intensified international criticism against Israel following its parliament's recent decision to ban UNRWA, the UN agency providing critical aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinian rescuers and family members gathered at the site of the collapsed five-story building in Beit Lahia, where dozens of individuals, including the Abu Nasr family, remain buried under rubble, with 93 confirmed dead and 40 still missing, according to Mahmud Bassal of Gaza’s civil defense.
Israel’s military is investigating the strike, stating that its forces killed 40 Hamas fighters and suffered four casualties in Gaza. According to witnesses like Rabie al-Shandagly, the majority of victims were women and children, with minimal medical aid available due to the severe strain on Gaza’s healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, Washington expressed serious concern, with State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller describing the event as "horrifying" and confirming that the U.S. reached out to Israel for more information. The Israeli military has continued a concentrated ground and air campaign in northern Gaza, targeting areas such as Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun to disrupt Hamas operations.
The escalating conflict follows an attack by Hamas militants in October of last year, and Israel’s retaliatory operations have since resulted in at least 43,061 Palestinian deaths, primarily civilians, according to UN-verified data from Gaza’s health ministry.
Israel’s recent decision to prohibit UNRWA’s operations has raised further international alarm. Israeli officials, like lawmaker Yuli Edelstein, argued that UNRWA has connections to Hamas, although Western allies including the United States and the European Union have voiced strong objections. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned of "devastating consequences" if the ban were enforced, emphasizing Israel's obligations under international law to allow humanitarian aid in occupied territories.
As violence also escalates in Lebanon, where Israeli forces launched a significant ground operation against Hezbollah, Lebanese officials report at least eight killed in an Israeli strike on Sarafand. Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced Naim Qassem as the successor to its former leader Hassan Nasrallah, who died in an Israeli strike in southern Beirut. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant suggested that Qassem’s leadership would be short-lived.
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