In a devastating escalation of violence, nearly 100 people, including innocent children, have lost their lives in a large-scale Israeli ground, air, and sea attack launched early Friday in northern Gaza. This grim report comes from the Hamas-run civil defense and local residents, who have described scenes of chaos and destruction.
The civil defense authorities reported that at least nine homes and makeshift tents housing civilians were bombed overnight, leading to numerous calls from individuals trapped beneath the rubble. Eyewitnesses recounted harrowing accounts of intense bombing, smoke bombs, artillery shelling, and the ominous presence of tanks in Beit Lahia. In response to the situation, the Israeli military stated that their operations aimed to locate and dismantle terrorist infrastructure in northern Gaza, claiming to have eliminated several terrorists over the past day. This assault marks the largest ground offensive in northern Gaza since Israel resumed its operations in March.
Basheer al-Ghandour, who fled from Beit Lahia to Jabalia, described the terrifying moment when the bombing began. “People were sleeping when suddenly intense bombing hit from all sides—air strikes and warships,” he recounted. Tragically, his brother's house collapsed with 25 individuals inside, resulting in five fatalities, including his young nieces aged five and 18, and a 15-year-old nephew. As he and others attempted to rescue their loved ones from the debris, he shared, “My brother's wife is still under the rubble—we didn’t manage to rescue her.” The chaos forced them to flee without any belongings, not even shoes.
Another survivor, Yousif Salem, narrowly escaped death with his three children. He recounted a harrowing moment when an air strike hit their neighbors' home, claiming all their lives. “As we were trapped inside, artillery shells began exploding nearby. When I tried to leave, a quadcopter drone opened fire,” he reported. After multiple attempts to escape, he finally found a side road just minutes before Israeli tanks encircled their area.
Local residents reported that the attack commenced with barrages of smoke bombs, followed by intense artillery fire from nearby Israeli positions. As Israeli tanks advanced toward the Al-Salateen neighborhood, aircraft dropped leaflets over multiple areas in northern Gaza, urging residents to evacuate immediately. This evacuation order has caused widespread panic among families who have been displaced multiple times since the onset of conflict. Many families, like that of Sana Marouf, voiced their desperation: “I swear I don’t know where we’re going. We don’t have mattresses, blankets, food, or water.”
The current offensive in northern Gaza follows a series of Israeli air strikes that resulted in more than 120 fatalities, predominantly in the south, on Thursday. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that over the past day, they struck more than 150 terror targets throughout Gaza, including military structures and anti-tank missile posts, while dismantling Hamas infrastructures and eliminating several terrorists planning attacks against IDF troops.
While the powerful strikes and reported ground troop advances west of Beit Lahia signify a significant escalation, it is uncertain whether this marks the beginning of the anticipated major military offensive by Israel. The Israeli government has vowed to intensify operations in Gaza and could potentially reoccupy the Strip indefinitely if Hamas does not agree to a temporary ceasefire and the return of hostages by the conclusion of President Donald Trump's regional trip, which ended Friday.
Despite ongoing negotiations in Doha, there appears to be no breakthrough. A ceasefire agreed upon in January fell apart when Israel resumed air strikes in March. The Israeli government has faced international condemnation for implementing a complete blockade on humanitarian aid, which includes essential supplies like food. Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, previously declared that the blockade serves as a critical pressure tactic to secure victory over Hamas and facilitate the release of hostages.
Reports indicate that the ongoing blockade has severely impacted the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with aid organizations warning that the population is now at critical risk of famine. A recent UN-backed report indicated that the entire population of Gaza—approximately 2.1 million people—is facing a dire humanitarian crisis. However, the Israeli government maintains that there is no food shortage in Gaza, attributing the crisis to Hamas's actions of looting and selling aid supplies.
