Israel has been accused of killing at least 73 people in an attack in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-controlled Government Information Office in the region.
The office said Israeli forces shelled a densely populated residential area, describing the attack as a “horrific massacre” and saying most of the victims were women and children. It also mentioned that dozens of people were missing and injured.
THE CNN cannot independently verify these figures, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disputes as exaggerated and inconsistent with its data.
The IDF stated that its operation targeted a Hamas terrorist site and insisted that it was making efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
Understand the conflict in the Gaza Strip
Israel has carried out intense airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since last year, after Hamas invaded the country and killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli counts. Furthermore, the radical group holds dozens of hostages.
Hamas does not recognize Israel as a state and claims Israeli territory for Palestine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly promised to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and recover people detained in Gaza.
In addition to the air offensive, the Israeli Army carries out land incursions into Palestinian territory. This caused much of Gaza’s population to be displaced.
The UN and several humanitarian institutions have warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, with a lack of food, medicine and the spread of diseases.
After about a year of the conflict, the Israeli population took to the streets in protests against Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of failing to reach a ceasefire agreement so that the hostages could be released.
This content was originally published in Authorities accuse Israel of killing 73 people in an attack on the populated area of Gaza on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
