More than 93 Palestinians killed in Israeli attack in northern Gaza, US calls incident ‘horrific’

A deadly Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, has left at least 93 Palestinians dead or missing, including at least 20 children, Gaza’s health ministry said.

The US State Department called the incident “horrific,” adding to growing international concerns amid the rising number of civilian casualties in Gaza.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated that rescue crews are working under harsh conditions and are struggling to reach survivors trapped under the rubble due to ongoing hostilities.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Gaza government’s media office, confirmed the current death toll, which is expected to rise as more bodies are recovered.

Israel has not yet commented on the attack in Beit Lahiya, and officials have previously questioned Gaza’s reported casualty figures.

The UN Human Rights Office has also called for a transparent investigation, calling it one of the deadliest strikes in recent months.

The conflict has escalated since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023, which left 1,200 Israeli casualties and more than 250 hostages transferred to Gaza, according to Israeli reports.

Retaliatory attacks by Israel have resulted in significant loss of life, killing more than 43,000 Palestinians, and mass displacement.

In addition, a recently passed Israeli law bans the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israel, raising concerns among Israel’s Western allies that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza will deepen.