AN Israeli airstrike that hit several houses as well as a residential building in northern Gaza has caused dozens of deaths, officials have said.
The Hamas media office said at least 73 people had been killed in the strike on Saturday, which the Israeli military has said is an exaggerated figure.
It said it was looking into the incident but that the numbers did not align with its own information or the accuracy of the strike, which it claims was directed at a Hamas target.
It comes after residents and medical officials said on Saturday that Israeli forces had tightened their siege on Jabalia, the largest of the enclave’s eight historic camps.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s (below) house in the seaside town of Caesarea was hit by a drone on Saturday, causing damage but no casualties.
The Israeli government said one of the PM’s three homes was targeted by three drones, two of which were intercepted and that neither he nor his wife Sara were home at the time.
In a statement, Netanyahu said: “The attempt by Iran’s proxy Hezbollah to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake.”
He further vowed that Iran would “pay a heavy price” for the move.
Hezbollah has not claimed responsibility for the drone attack but did say it had carried out several rocket attacks on northern and central Israel.
Israel also said on Saturday it had killed Hezbollah’s deputy commander, Nasser Rashid, in Bint Jbeil in Lebanon.
It was also reported on Saturday that Keir Starmer (below) has once again called for a ceasefire in the Middle East in a telephone call with Netanyahu.
The Prime Minister expressed alarm at the news of the drone attack, a Downing Street spokesperson said, before discussing the wider situation following the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on Wednesday.
The spokesperson said Sarwar described Sinwar as a “brutal terrorist” who left the world “a better place without him”.
They added: “He also discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu the opportunity presented by Sinwar’s death to halt the fighting and get the hostages out.
“The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of getting much more aid into Gaza. Finally, the leaders also discussed Lebanon and the importance of making progress on a political solution.”
The phone call comes after Starmer appeared in Berlin on Friday where he urged the international community to “make the most of” the “opportunity” presented by Sinwar’s death.
However, he also warned the world would not tolerate “any more excuses” for not allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza, where more than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed due to Israel’s bombardment.
