**Escalating Tensions: Israeli Strikes in Gaza Claim Lives Amid Ongoing Operation**

The situation in Gaza escalates as Israeli airstrikes, reportedly targeting Hamas, leave dozens dead, raising urgent concerns from humanitarian organizations regarding the fate of trapped civilians.

In a continued military operation, Israeli airstrikes in northern Gaza have reportedly resulted in the deaths of dozens, as emergency response teams struggle to reach the site amid an ongoing blockade. Rescue teams from the Palestinian Civil Defense reported that they were unable to access Beit Lahia, a farming town north of Gaza City, due to the Israeli offensive now spanning almost two months. The Civil Defense group estimates over 75 fatalities, with families among the deceased, though exact figures remain uncertain as they do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Trapped survivors have become a critical concern, with rescue operations halted due to the dangerous conditions and a lack of communication infrastructure that has made it difficult for families and rescue workers to obtain vital information. The Civil Defense stated, “Entire families were wiped out in northern Gaza, and we don’t know anything about them.... survivors remain under the rubble for a long time, and there is no civil defense to rescue them.”

Despite these reports, the Israeli military refuted claims of airstrikes in Beit Lahia, labeling them as “false propaganda from Hamas.” The military asserts that its operations focus on targeting Hamas combatants and infrastructure, maintaining that it endeavors to avoid civilian casualties. They noted that the region operates as an active war zone, complicating the dynamics of the military and humanitarian response. As tensions rise, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains a critical topic of international discourse.