The number of Palestinians killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza, has risen to 87, according to Gaza health authorities. More than 40 people were injured, some critically, in the attack that destroyed a residential area.
Palestinian authorities and witnesses reported that Israeli attacks in the region caused considerable devastation. Initially, a death toll of 73 was reported, mostly women and children, along with numerous injured and missing, according to the press office of the Hamas-led Gaza government.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee dismissed the figure provided by the press office as "exaggerated," noting that it did not match the army's reports and that they were investigating the incident. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued their operations in different parts of Gaza, where the Air Force struck around 175 targets in the last day.
Israel has launched an offensive against Hamas in Gaza in response to an attack carried out by Hamas across Israel's southern border on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people and the capture of about 250 hostages. The number of Palestinian deaths from Israeli attacks in Gaza has reached 42,603, according to local health authorities.
These tragic events are part of an ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with devastating consequences for the civilian population of Gaza.
