Israeli airstrikes resulted in numerous casualties in northern Gaza over the weekend as the country continued its offensive against Hamas, following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Palestinian health officials reported that at least 84 individuals lost their lives in the northern town of Beit Lahia on Saturday night and early Sunday morning, with many others trapped beneath debris.
The death toll brings the number of Palestinians killed in northern Gaza since Friday night to over 100, according to local officials. Hamas claimed that Israel targeted residential buildings in Beit Lahia, stating that most of the victims were women and children. The Israeli military, however, described the figures provided by Gazan authorities as inflated, stating it had targeted a Hamas installation.
Tor Wennesland, the UN’s special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, commented on the situation, stating, "Horrifying scenes are unfolding in northern Gaza," and condemned the ongoing attacks on civilians. He emphasized the need for the war to end, for hostages held by Hamas to be released, and for the displacement of Palestinians to cease.
Israel’s strikes in northern Gaza coincided with attempts by Western and Arab nations to use the death of Sinwar, who orchestrated last year’s October 7 attack on Israel, to push for a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages. Despite these efforts, Israel continued its military activities on multiple fronts, including a strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday, alongside a ground offensive against Hizbollah in the south.
On Sunday, the Lebanese military reported that an Israeli strike on an army vehicle resulted in the deaths of three soldiers in southern Lebanon. The Israeli military stated that the operation targeted a Hizbollah base and weapons storage facility in Beirut but did not immediately address the army strike.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel’s determination to achieve its war objectives and reshape the region’s security dynamics. He accused Hizbollah of attempting his assassination after an Israeli military report indicated a drone from the Iran-backed group hit a structure in Caesarea, where Netanyahu’s private residence is located. The prime minister’s office confirmed the attack but stated that neither Netanyahu nor his wife were present, and no injuries occurred.
Israeli authorities reported that one person was killed and ten others injured when Hizbollah rockets hit the northern towns of Kiryat Ata, Shlomi, and Acre on Saturday. Hizbollah announced the beginning of "a new and escalating phase in its confrontation" with Israel after suffering significant setbacks, including the assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, last month.
Israel has continued launching airstrikes across Lebanon, attacking the southern suburbs of Beirut for the first time in several days on Saturday, and executing a drone strike in a Christian area. Meanwhile, in northern Gaza, Israeli military operations have continued, resulting in the deaths of dozens, including at least 33 people in the Jabalia refugee camp on Friday night, according to Palestinian health officials.
Following the death of Sinwar, the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the US would intensify efforts to end the war in Gaza—a conflict seen as significant to stopping the escalating violence between Israel and Hizbollah. Despite Sinwar’s death, Hamas maintained that it would only agree to release hostages and cease fighting if there was a permanent ceasefire and Israeli troops withdrew from the region.
Netanyahu has expressed that the war would cease only if the militant group disarms and releases the hostages. An estimated 101 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, though many are feared dead. The Israeli prime minister has refused to consider a permanent ceasefire or to withdraw troops from the strip, where the offensive has led to over 42,000 fatalities, as reported by Palestinian health authorities.
The Israeli military has been conducting an extended offensive in northern Gaza, concentrating on Jabalia, one of the few areas where residents remain in the north after most fled south. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, reported that another 20,000 people were forced to leave Jabalia on Saturday, with the last operating hospitals experiencing severe fuel and medical supply shortages. The UN warned that two of the three operational hospitals in northern Gaza had been directly affected by the attacks, exacerbating the dire humanitarian crisis.
Cartography by Jana Tauschinski
