At least 87 people have died or are missing after Israeli airstrikes targeted several residences in the northern Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
In a separate incident, another 40 people were injured in attacks on the town of Beit Lahiya, one of the primary targets during Israel’s ground incursion nearly a year ago.
The Israeli military said it was “continuing to operate across Gaza in both aerial strikes and ground operations,” but did not immediately provide a statement regarding the strikes, Associated Press reported.
For the past two weeks, Israel has been conducting a major operation in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp, also situated in northern Gaza. The military asserts that it initiated the operation against Hamas militants who had reassembled there.
The northern region of Gaza has experienced the most severe devastation since the beginning of the conflict. Israeli forces have surrounded the area since the end of the previous year, following a lethal assault by Hamas on Israel.
In the initial stages of the war, Israel instructed all residents of the northern third of Gaza, including Gaza City, to relocate to the southern part of the territory. These directions were repeated at the beginning of this month.
Most of the population fled last year, but an estimated 400,000 people are still believed to be living in the north. The ongoing conflict has devastated large parts of Gaza and displaced a large population.
Palestinians who left the northern region at the beginning of the war have not been permitted to return.
The United States is investigating an unauthorized leak of classified documents assessing Israel’s plans to strike Iran, according to three US officials. A fourth official confirmed the authenticity of the documents, as reported by the Associated Press.
The documents, which are labeled top secret and attributed to the US Geospatial Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency, suggest that Israel was positioning military assets in preparation for a military strike in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1.
Following the assassination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar last week, the US is pressuring Israel to push for a cease-fire in Gaza.
However, after months of negotiations stalled in August, neither Israel nor Hamas has demonstrated any renewed interest in such a deal.