Israel’s Airstrikes Intensify in Gaza and Lebanon Amid Casualties

Israel’s Airstrikes Intensify in Gaza and Lebanon Amid Casualties \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israeli airstrikes across Gaza and Lebanon have killed at least 46 people in Gaza over the past 24 hours and 18 in Lebanon. In Gaza, strikes hit a makeshift cafeteria in a humanitarian zone and destroyed homes, leaving hundreds displaced. Meanwhile, the U.S. has opted to continue arms support for Israel, despite ongoing international calls for increased humanitarian access.

Israeli Strikes in Gaza and Lebanon Quick Looks

• Gaza Casualties: At least 46 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes, including 11 at a cafeteria in a designated humanitarian zone.
• Lebanon Attacks: Israeli warplanes targeted Hezbollah sites, killing 18 and striking residential areas near Beirut.
• U.S. Support for Israel: Despite international concerns, the U.S. continues arms support for Israel, citing limited aid improvements.
• Humanitarian Crisis: Aid access remains limited; truckloads entering Gaza fall short of U.N. recommendations.
• Evacuations in Northern Gaza: Israeli forces ordered further evacuations in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands are in makeshift shelters.

Deep Look

In a surge of attacks, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 46 people in the Gaza Strip over the past day, with reports of heavy casualties including 11 civilians struck while dining in a makeshift cafeteria within a declared “humanitarian zone.” Medics reported that these airstrikes continue to hit densely populated areas, worsening the humanitarian crisis for civilians seeking shelter in the besieged region. Israel’s assault also extended into Lebanon, where warplanes targeted Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut’s southern suburbs and killed at least 18 others across the country, heightening regional tensions as the conflict escalates.

These latest airstrikes coincide with the U.S. government’s decision to uphold its military support for Israel despite mounting international pressure for more humanitarian access into Gaza. While the U.S. previously threatened to scale back arms support if Israel failed to allow more aid, the Biden administration has cited some limited progress, though aid groups dispute that the situation has improved. Humanitarian organizations have criticized Israel for falling short of agreed targets, noting that the actual volume of daily aid shipments into Gaza remains far below levels needed to meet the demands of displaced civilians.

The Lebanese capital of Beirut witnessed intense explosions in Dahiyeh, a neighborhood with a significant Hezbollah presence. Israel had issued evacuation warnings for several buildings before launching strikes on what it described as Hezbollah “command centers and weapons facilities.” No immediate casualty figures were provided, though one Israeli strike reportedly killed six people in an apartment east of Beirut. In central Lebanon, an additional 12 civilians were killed in a residential building without prior warning, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. This building had been sheltering displaced families fleeing conflict in the north, underscoring the vulnerability of non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

Israel’s bombardment campaign in Gaza, which began in response to Hamas’s 2023 attack on southern Israel, has now stretched over 13 months, with continued aerial assaults targeting areas where Hamas fighters are believed to be hiding. An airstrike late Monday on a makeshift cafeteria in the Muwasi area killed 11 people, including two children. The cafeteria, located within a humanitarian zone, was meant to serve as a safer location for displaced civilians. Medical staff at Nasser Hospital, where the casualties were taken, expressed outrage, calling the loss of life among unarmed civilians “tragic and preventable.”

In another strike on a residence in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun, 15 people were killed, including relatives of Al Jazeera journalist Hossam Shabat, who has been reporting on the conflict. Among those killed were Mohamed and Dima Shabat, volunteer doctors at Kamal Adwan Hospital, and their young daughter. Central and southern Gaza also experienced heavy bombardment, claiming an additional 20 lives, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military has yet to comment on these strikes.

Meanwhile, Israel has issued expanded evacuation orders in northern Gaza, where intense ground and aerial assaults have displaced tens of thousands of residents. Hundreds of families sheltering in schools have been forced to flee once again. Mahmoud al-Kafarnah, sheltering in a school in Beit Hanoun, described Israeli drones broadcasting evacuation orders as the sounds of gunfire echoed outside. “The tanks are here,” he said. “We have nowhere else to go.”

The crisis in Gaza has prompted U.S. calls for Israel to improve humanitarian conditions by allowing at least 350 truckloads of aid daily. However, deliveries remain far below this target, with U.N. agencies reporting an average of 39 trucks per day entering Gaza since early October. Recent Israeli announcements included steps to increase aid access, such as opening a new crossing into central Gaza and connecting power to a desalination plant in Deir al-Balah to supply drinking water. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen, as humanitarian groups continue to report severe shortages.

The latest developments in Gaza also coincide with rising hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah along the Israel-Lebanon border. In northern Israel, a Hezbollah rocket attack struck a storage building in the town of Nahariya, killing two civilians. In another incident, a Hezbollah drone hit a nursery school near Haifa, though no injuries occurred as the children had taken refuge in a bomb shelter.

The current Israeli campaign has led to significant loss of life in Gaza, where more than 43,000 Palestinians, including women and children, have reportedly died since the conflict escalated. The humanitarian toll continues to mount, with around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million displaced and hundreds of thousands seeking shelter in crowded, resource-scarce camps. These figures, provided by local health authorities, do not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties, adding to international concerns about the impact on Gaza’s vulnerable population.

The U.S., Israel’s largest military backer, has opted to continue its arms support despite the humanitarian situation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Israeli officials this week, underscoring the importance of maintaining aid channels and sustaining humanitarian improvements. However, organizations like the U.N. and the Red Cross remain critical, as the shortfall in aid and ongoing displacement strain Gaza’s limited resources.

The origin of this conflict traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants breached Israel’s borders, killing approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and abducting 250 individuals, some of whom remain hostages. Israel’s retaliation has included an ongoing siege of Gaza, targeting Hamas positions but also impacting civilian infrastructure and disrupting essential services. President Biden has maintained a stance of supporting Israel’s defense objectives while urging improvements in aid access for Gaza’s displaced population.

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the international community continues to call for restraint and increased support for civilians affected by the ongoing violence. However, with escalations on both sides, the region faces mounting challenges in restoring stability and addressing the profound needs of Gaza’s beleaguered population.

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