Israeli attack claims 29 more lives in northern, central Gaza

20 women and children killed when Israeli airstrikes blow a residential building in Beit Lahiya

Israeli attacks on the northern and central regions of the Gaza Strip have killed dozens of people, medical sources report, as the bombardment across the besieged territory intensifies and the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen.

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Israeli army bombed a residential building in Beit Lahiya, located near Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, which has been under an even tighter siege for more than two months. The strike killed at least 20 people, including women and children, but local reports suggest the death toll could rise. The building, home to the Abu Tarabish family, had been sheltering at least 30 displaced people at the time of the attack.

Footage obtained by Al Jazeera showed residents using their bare hands to pull large chunks of concrete from the rubble. A child’s body was among those recovered from the debris.

“This residential building has been turned into ruin. The smoke is still rising,” said journalist Moath Kahlout, reporting from the scene. “Due to a shortage of rescue teams, the neighbours are trying to pull the dead bodies from under the rubble.”

Later in the day, another attack on a residential home in the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp resulted in the deaths of at least seven people, all members of the same family. In addition, the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service reported that two more people were killed by an Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza City.

'No letup' in attacks amid growing crisis

Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, described the ongoing violence amid "a deepening humanitarian crisis." "There are no basic supplies available, markets are depleted and the crisis keeps continuing to evolve in a devastating way,” he said, highlighting that the attacks show “no letup.”

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the latest attacks. Over the past 14 months, Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 44,805 people and injured 106,257, according to local reports.

The escalation follows a deadly assault by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which left 1,139 people dead in Israel and more than 200 taken hostage. Israel launched its intense military campaign in response.

Ceasefire efforts continue

As the attacks persist, efforts to broker a ceasefire continue. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to visit Israel this week to discuss a potential truce and other regional issues. According to National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett, Sullivan will meet with Israeli officials to discuss “efforts to reach a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza, the latest developments in Syria, and for discussions about Lebanon and Iran.”