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In an airstrike on the Jabalia refugee camp on Saturday, nearly 33 individuals lost their lives as Israel continued its intense military actions in northern Gaza following the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Health authorities in the Hamas-governed area reported that the Israeli attack struck several homes near the Nassar junction, resulting in fatalities and dozens of injuries.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza presents significant challenges for international mediators attempting to resume ceasefire talks, even after Sinwar’s death on Wednesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday that the military campaign would persist until the release of 101 hostages held by Hamas. He proposed an ultimatum to the militant group: release the hostages in exchange for a guarantee of physical safety.
This month, the Israel Defense Forces intensified their air and ground operations on Jabalia and other regions in northern Gaza, aiming at alleged Hamas efforts to regroup and launch further attacks. On Saturday, Israeli forces surrounded the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia and fired tank shells at the facility. Additionally, the nearby Kamal Adwan hospital entrance was struck, resulting in one death and several injuries, according to local authorities and Palestinian media. Residents reported experiencing a partial telecommunications blackout.
The Gaza health ministry accused Israel of escalating attacks on the health system in northern Gaza, alleging an intention to render these facilities inoperative. Israel has consistently contended that Hamas and other militant organizations utilize hospitals and civilian infrastructure within Gaza as command sites and for storing weapons.
Following the confirmation of Sinwar’s death on Friday, Khalil al-Hayya, a high-ranking member of Hamas’s political bureau operating from Doha, stated in a televised broadcast that Israeli hostages in Gaza would only be released once Israeli troops withdrew from the territory. He also called for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails and demanded an end to the “aggression” against the besieged area, asserting that the movement would grow stronger despite the loss of its leaders.
The conflict in Gaza has escalated tensions across the Middle East, with hostilities emerging between Israel and the Lebanese Hizbollah movement. Last month, Israel intensified its offensive against Hizbollah following over a year of rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon into northern Israel. The IDF conducted extensive air strikes across Lebanon and initiated a ground invasion this month.
On Friday, Hizbollah declared that a “new and escalating phase” in its conflict with Israel was imminent, followed by rocket and drone attack warnings across northern Israel on Saturday. The Israeli military reported that one drone struck a building in Caesarea, the town where Netanyahu’s private residence is located. The Prime Minister’s office confirmed that the residence was targeted, but neither Netanyahu nor his wife were present at the time, and no one was injured.
In Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei honored Sinwar, describing him as a “resistance and combat figure” and crediting him with delivering a significant blow on October 7, which would be remembered in the region’s history. Khamenei acknowledged that Sinwar’s death represented “a painful loss for the resistance front” but emphasized that it would not halt its progress, vowing continued backing from Iran.
Tehran is preparing for an anticipated Israeli response to a ballistic missile assault it launched earlier this month. Israeli officials have vowed a “severe” and “precise” retaliatory measure.
