“MASSIVE EXPLOSION”
In Hamas-run Gaza, the Israeli navy mentioned its forces continued “operational exercise” within the northern areas of Jabalia and Beit Lahia, the targets of an intense offensive since early October.
Troops additionally operated within the southern district of Rafah, the military mentioned.
Israel says its renewed operations within the ravaged north had been meant to cease Hamas militants from regrouping.
A United Nations-backed evaluation on the weekend warned famine was imminent in northern Gaza, and UN figures confirmed the Israeli operation had pressured at the least 100,000 individuals to flee.
Israel has pushed again in opposition to a Human Rights Watch report this week that mentioned its displacement of Gazans quantities to a “crime in opposition to humanity”, in addition to findings from a UN Particular Committee that pointed to warfare practices that “are in step with the traits of genocide”.
A overseas ministry spokesman dismissed the HRW report as “fully false”, whereas the USA – Israel’s primary navy backer – mentioned accusations of genocide “are actually unfounded”.
The Gaza well being ministry mentioned at the least 35 individuals had been killed within the territory within the earlier 24 hours, taking the general dying toll in additional than 13 months of battle to 43,799.
The vast majority of the lifeless had been civilians, based on ministry figures which the UN considers dependable.
Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 assault on Israel that sparked the battle resulted within the deaths of 1,206 individuals, largely civilians, based on an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
The civil defence company reported 11 individuals killed in strikes throughout Gaza early on Saturday.
In Rafah, Jamil al-Masry mentioned a home was hit, inflicting “a large explosion”.
“We went to the home, solely to search out it in ruins, with hearth raging and smoke and mud in all places,” he advised AFP.
Folks “began looking for martyrs and survivors” with their naked arms, he mentioned, with some “nonetheless underneath the rubble”.
