Beit Lahiya, a town in northern Gaza subjected to a 25-day blockade and extensive bombing by Israel, has been declared a “disaster area.” The US State Department confirmed that “two dozen children” were killed in a recent airstrike on the area. However, the Department noted it “does not yet know the underlying circumstances,” implying there may be factors yet to be assessed.
The municipality of Beit Lahiya, where the humanitarian crisis deepens daily due to the Israeli occupation, blockade, and ongoing attacks, declared the area a “disaster zone” and called for urgent aid.
A municipal statement described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe, citing severe shortages of essential supplies including food, water, medical services, ambulances, civil defense, and communication facilities. The statement read: “For these reasons, we declare Beit Lahiya a disaster area and urgently call for help to save those at risk in a city enduring massacre and genocide.”
Yesterday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 93 Palestinians were killed, and “dozens” were injured, in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza City.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller addressed the attack during the daily press briefing, expressing that the US was “deeply concerned” by the incident. Miller stated, “This was a terrible incident with devastating consequences. I can’t confirm the total number of casualties, but two dozen children were killed.”
“Undoubtedly, many of these children had been fleeing the conflict for over a year,” he added. Miller also noted that the US had contacted the Israeli government for further information on the incident, saying that the full circumstances were not yet known.
Separately, Miller responded to reports that Israel had detained doctors in Gaza, describing it as a “worrying” development if confirmed. “If there is no reasonable basis for detaining doctors, and if this is hindering critical life-saving efforts, we would certainly be concerned, as we always are,” he said.
