Dozens of people were killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit several homes and a multi-story residential building in the northern Gaza city of Beit Lahiya, doctors and officials said.
Hamas's press office said Saturday's attack killed at least 73 people. No official figures were immediately available from the Health Ministry, but Medway Abbas, a senior Health Ministry official, said the figures were accurate.
The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident, but figures published by Hamas' media office were exaggerated. He said the figures did not match his own information, the precision munitions used or the precision of the attack, which he said was aimed at a Hamas target.
Palestinian health officials said rescue efforts were hampered by a second day of blackout of telecommunications and internet services.
Residents and medics said Saturday that Israeli forces intensified the siege of Jabaliya, the largest of the enclave's eight historic camps, cordoning it off, sending tanks to the nearby towns of Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and issuing evacuation orders to residents.
Israeli officials have said they intend to separate Hamas militants from civilians and deny there is any formal plan to evacuate civilians from Jabalia or other areas of the north.
Benjamin Netanyahu's home in the coastal city of Caesarea was hit by a drone on Saturday, causing superficial damage and no casualties.
The Israeli government said that one of the prime minister's three homes was attacked by three drones, two of which were intercepted, and that neither Netanyahu nor his wife Sara were home at the time.
“The attempt by Iran's proxy, Hezbollah, to assassinate me and my wife today was a big mistake,” Netanyahu said in a statement, vowing that Iran and its proxies would “pay a heavy price.”
In Jabaliya, residents said Israeli forces laid siege to several shelters housing displaced families, raiding them and detaining dozens of men. Images seen on social media showed dozens of Palestinian men sitting on the ground near a tank, while others were led by a soldier to a meeting place.
Residents and medical officials said Israeli forces bombed homes and laid siege to hospitals to force them to leave the camp, preventing the entry of medical and food supplies.
Health officials said they had defied Israeli military orders to evacuate hospitals.
“Hospitals in northern Gaza are suffering from a shortage of medical supplies and personnel and are overwhelmed by the death toll,” said Hussam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.
The United Nations' top aid official has insisted that Palestinians besieged by Israeli forces in northern Gaza are experiencing “unspeakable horrors” and that “these atrocities must stop.”
“In Jabaliya, people are trapped under rubble and rescuers are prevented from reaching them,” acting UN humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya said in X.
Earlier on Saturday, Israeli planes dropped leaflets over southern Gaza showing a photograph of slain Hamas leader Yahya Shinwar with the message “Hamas will no longer rule Gaza,” echoing language used by Netanyahu.
US Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated her call for a ceasefire in Israel's war in Gaza and said it was important to seize the opportunity presented by Sinwar's killing.
“I think we should make the most of this opening, commit to ending this war and bringing the hostages home,” the Democratic presidential candidate said while campaigning from Detroit.
An estimated 1,200 people were killed a year ago in Sinwar's planned Oct. 7 attack on Israeli communities, and 253 were taken hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli estimates.
Israel's subsequent war has devastated Gaza, with more than 42,500 Palestinians dead and 10,000 missing under the rubble, Gaza health officials say.
Reuters contributed reporting
