Dozens of people have been reportedly killed in two Israeli strikes on refugee camps in northern and central Gaza. Elsewhere, a drone was launched at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s house from Lebanon this morning – although the premier was not in the vicinity at the time.
Sunday 20 October 2024 07:37, UK
In our last post, we mentioned an airstrike in northern Gaza which killed dozens, according to medics and the Hamas media office – let’s get you up to speed on those reports.
An Israeli airstrike that hit several houses and a multi-storey residential building in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya killed at least 73 people yesterday, according to medics and Hamas-run media outlets.
However, the Israeli military accused Hamas-affiliated organisations of “exaggerating” the number of dead, adding that the strike was directed at a Hamas target.
The unnamed Israeli official said it “appears numbers published by the Hamas media office are exaggerated and do not match the information the Israeli military has”.
“This is a war of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” the Hamas media office said. “The occupation has conducted a horrifying massacre in Beit Lahiya.”
Health officials said ongoing rescue operations in Beit Lahiya were being hampered by the cut-off of telecommunication and internet services for a second day.
Earlier on Saturday, at least 35 people, including children, were killed in strikes across Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry.
This includes a strike on the Maghazi refugee camp that killed 11 members of the same family, and another 10 who died when a house in the town of Zawayda was hit, according to the al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah.
It comes after a reported 33 people were killed in a strike on the Jabalia refugee camp late on Friday night, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.
We’ve been reporting extensively on Israeli operations in Jabalia, with fighting intensifying in the last two weeks and particularly the past few days.
Yesterday, we explored why the Israel Defence Forces has moved back into the area – which you can read about here.
Reports from the ground
Yesterday saw more intense fighting in the area – the largest of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps.
Residents and medics, speaking to the Reuters news agency, said Israeli forces had tightened their siege on Jabalia,.
The IDF encircled the camp fully by also sending tanks to the nearby towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and issuing evacuation orders to residents.
Medics and the Hamas media office claimed yesterday that 73 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes on Beit Lahiya – a figure Israel disputes.
According to the IDF, evacuation orders were made in Jabalia, in the hope of separating Hamas fighters from civilians – denying the notion there was a systematic plan to clear civilians out of the camp or other northern areas.
In the camp itself, residents said Israeli forces laid siege to several shelters, which were housing displaced families, before storming them and detaining dozens of men.
Others said Israeli forces were bombing houses and besieging hospitals – preventing medical and food supplies from entering to force them to leave the camp.
Israel has not commented on those claims.
Health officials also said they had denied Israeli orders to evacuate hospitals and leave patients.
Welcome back to our coverage of the conflicts in the Middle East.
Yesterday saw a drone sent from Lebanon hit a holiday home belonging to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The premier was not hurt in the attack, but later said it was an attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate him and his wife – dubbing it “a grave mistake”.
In Gaza, an Israeli airstrike that hit several houses and a multi-storey residential building in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya killed at least 73 people, according to medics and Hamas-run media outlets.
However, the Israeli military accused Hamas-affiliated organisations of “exaggerating” the number of dead, adding that the strike was directed at a Hamas target.
“This is a war of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” the Hamas media office said. “The occupation has conducted a horrifying massacre in Beit Lahiya.”
Stay with us throughout the day for the latest updates.
That’s all for our live coverage of the conflicts in the Middle East this evening.
Before we go, here is a recap of the key developments over the course of the day.
An Israeli official has accused Hamas of “exaggerating” numbers reportedly killed in airstrikes on northern Gaza this evening.
Initially, Hamas-run media said 10 people had died in strikes on the northern town of Beit Lahyia.
But this number has since increased to 60 (see 9.30pm post) and then 73.
The unnamed Israeli official said it “appears numbers published by the Hamas media office are exaggerated and do not match the information the Israeli military has”.
They are “checking preliminary reports” of the casualties, it added.
The Israeli military has said it is launching an investigation into the death of a Hezbollah detainee while in its custody, according to its army radio.
No further details have yet been given.
Separately this evening, it announced the death of one of its sergeant majors after being wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon on 9 October.
In the past few hours, US presidential candidate Kamala Harris has been speaking at a campaign event in Detroit.
Asked by reporters what the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar means, she replied: “This creates an opening that I believe we must take full advantage of – to dedicate ourselves to ending this war and bringing the hostages home.
“As it relates to the issues in the Middle East and in particular in that region, it has never been easy. But that doesn’t mean we give up. It’s always going to be difficult. We can’t give up.”
The vice president avoided a question on whether anger over Gaza among Muslim communities in Michigan could cost her votes there.
But she said: “I speak publicly all the time about the fact that there are so many tragic stories coming from Gaza.
“What’s critically important as we look at this moment, is … acknowledging the tragedy of what has happened in Gaza, in terms of the extraordinary number of innocent Palestinians that have been killed, and taking that seriously and speaking truth about that.”
At least 60 people have been killed and several wounded in Israeli strikes on northern Gaza, medics and Hamas-run media outlets say.
The strikes destroyed several houses in the town of Beit Lahyia on Saturday, they said.
It follows deadly strikes on the Gazan refugee camp of Jabalia, in Lebanon overnight and in the early hours of today.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu following the drone attack on his house.
A spokesperson for Sir Keir said of the call this afternoon: “The prime minister said he was alarmed to hear about the drone launched towards Prime Minister Netanyahu’s home this morning.”
The spokesperson said they also discussed the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who Sir Keir described as a “brutal terrorist” and that “the world is a better place without him”.
“He also discussed with prime minister Netanyahu the opportunity presented by Sinwar’s death to halt the fighting and get the hostages out,” he added.
“The prime minister also stressed the importance of getting much more aid into Gaza.
“Finally, the leaders also discussed Lebanon and the importance of making progress on a political solution.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has posted on X following the killing of Hamas’s leader Yahya Sinwar earlier this week.
He writes in Hebrew: “Hamas is alive and will stay alive.”
Iran backs and provides funding for both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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