On an early Friday morning, a large-scale assault by Israeli forces took place in northern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of nearly 100 people, including children. This attack, described by the Hamas-run civil defense and local residents as a combined ground, air, and sea operation, has been one of the most intense since Israel resumed its offensive activities in March. The civil defense reported that at least nine homes and tents sheltering civilians were bombed overnight, and they have been inundated with emergency calls from people trapped in the rubble.
Eyewitnesses in the area described a terrifying scene with smoke bombs, artillery shelling, and tanks moving through Beit Lahia. The Israeli military stated that their operations were focused on locating and dismantling terrorist infrastructure in northern Gaza, claiming to have eliminated several terrorists during the past day. This marks the largest ground assault in northern Gaza in recent months.
Residents caught in the assault recounted harrowing experiences. Basheer al-Ghandour, who escaped from Beit Lahia to Jabalia, told the BBC that people were asleep when the "intense bombing" began. The attack, he said, came from all directions, with airstrikes and naval bombardments contributing to the destruction. His brother's house collapsed with 25 people inside, resulting in five deaths, including children aged 5, 15, and 18. Eleven more were injured. Basheer and others attempted to rescue their loved ones from the debris, but the intense bombing forced them to flee, leaving behind all their possessions.
Another resident, Yousif Salem, shared his narrow escape with his three children. According to him, an airstrike hit a neighboring house, killing everyone inside. As artillery shells landed nearby, a quadcopter drone fired at them when they tried to exit. Despite the danger, they made a second attempt to flee, navigating blocked roads to find a side route out of the area just before Israeli tanks surrounded it.
The attack unfolded with an initial barrage of smoke bombs, followed by intense artillery shelling from Israeli positions. Tanks advanced towards the Al-Salateen neighborhood in western Beit Lahia. Reports indicate that Israeli armored vehicles surrounded a school that was sheltering hundreds of displaced civilians. Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets over several areas in northern Gaza, urging residents to evacuate immediately, intensifying fears of an expanded military operation in one of Gaza's most densely populated regions.
The evacuation orders sparked panic among families who have been displaced multiple times since the conflict began. Many residents face uncertainty about where to seek refuge next. Sana Marouf, fleeing with her family on a donkey cart, expressed her desperation, saying they lacked basic necessities such as mattresses, blankets, food, and water. She described witnessing people being "torn to pieces" during the relentless overnight bombing, calling it a "black night."
This assault in northern Gaza follows Thursday's Israeli airstrikes in the south, which killed over 120 people. The IDF announced on Friday that it had targeted more than 150 "terror targets" across Gaza in the previous day, including anti-tank missile posts, military structures, and planning centers for terrorist attacks against IDF troops. In southern Gaza, the IDF reported dismantling Hamas structures and killing several terrorists who were allegedly planning to plant explosive devices.
Despite the severity of Friday's overnight strikes and the ground troop movements west of Beit Lahia, these actions do not yet constitute Israel's threatened major military offensive. The Israeli government has vowed to intensify operations in Gaza and potentially reoccupy the Strip unless Hamas agrees to a temporary ceasefire and the return of remaining hostages by the end of U.S. President Donald Trump's regional visit, which concluded on Friday. Although no breakthrough has been reported, Arab mediators in Doha are reportedly pushing for more time to allow negotiations to continue.
A previously agreed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas broke down when Israel resumed airstrikes on Gaza in March. Israel has also enforced a total blockade on humanitarian aid, including food, which has faced widespread condemnation from the UN and various European and Arab countries. Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, described the blockade as a "main pressure lever" to defeat Hamas and secure the release of hostages.
There is increasing evidence that the 10-week blockade is causing severe humanitarian distress in Gaza. Aid organizations and residents report widespread hunger, with a UN-backed report warning that Gaza's entire population of 2.1 million people