A recent Israeli strike on the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya resulted in the deaths of 19 Palestinians, following an earlier raid that claimed the lives of 93 others, prompting expressions of horror from the United States.
On October 29, 2024, Palestinian civilians sifted through the debris of a building in Beit Lahiya, searching for survivors after another attack by Israel’s military, which targeted residential areas, including homes belonging to the Al Louh family, as reported by the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza.
In response, Israel’s military stated it was “investigating the reports of the strike,” while its primary ally, the United States, condemned the attack as “horrifying.”
The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) expressed its shock at the bombing, labeling it one of the deadliest single attacks in Gaza in nearly three months. The UN’s humanitarian agency (OCHA) noted that the strike on the Abu Nasr family home was part of seven “mass casualty incidents” that took place in Gaza over the past week.
Israel’s intensifying air and ground offensive on Beit Lahiya coincides with the 26th day of its siege on northern Gaza. The Israeli military claims the operation aims to prevent Hamas fighters from regrouping in the northern region, despite earlier assertions this year that they had eradicated the Palestinian group—which governs Gaza—from that area.
The Palestinian Civil Defence reports that over 100,000 individuals are trapped in the north without access to food and water, and many are buried under the rubble of destroyed homes, with rescue teams unable to reach them due to Israel’s continuous siege and bombardments.
Video footage of the Israeli attack on the Abu Nasr family home on Tuesday morning, as featured by Al Jazeera, captured a Palestinian man trapped under concrete and steel bars, heavily dust-covered while attempts were made by others to rescue him by using pickaxes to dismantle the walls. Outside the structure, several lifeless bodies wrapped in blankets were seen lying on the ground.
At Kamal Adwan Hospital, the primary medical facility for the residents of northern Gaza, a wave of injured individuals arrived seeking care. However, the hospital’s director reported a critical shortage of staff to provide treatment, as Israeli forces had apprehended the majority of its personnel during a raid the previous week.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya stated, “Kamal Adwan Hospital and its surroundings are a war zone. The hospital has been stripped of its resources—medical supplies and staff are nonexistent. Many of our specialized doctors and surgeons have been detained.” He painted a distressing picture of the situation, with patients and casualties “scattered across” the hospital floor, calling for immediate international assistance.
In Geneva, a representative from the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) urged for a swift, transparent, and thorough investigation. “It is crucial for Israel to grant emergency rescue teams access to sites in North Gaza. In some instances, rescue workers have faced attacks while attempting to reach the wounded,” stated Jeremy Laurence. The UN’s Middle East peace envoy also condemned the assault.
“This horrific strike is another in a disturbing series of mass casualty events, coupled with a large-scale displacement campaign in northern Gaza, raising significant concerns regarding breaches of international humanitarian law,” Tor Wennesland remarked in a statement. “I strongly condemn the widespread killing and injuring of civilians in Gaza, as well as the relentless displacement of its population.”
