Israel’s bombardment of central and northern Gaza has killed dozens of people and trapped thousands in their homes, Palestinian officials said Wednesday, as the death toll in Israel's recent war on Gaza passed 42,000.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said it recovered 40 bodies from Jabaliya from Sunday until Tuesday, and another 14 from communities farther north.
The toll is likely higher as there are bodies buried under the rubble and in areas that can’t be accessed, it said.
Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari claimed that the army was operating in Jabaliya to "prevent Hamas from regrouping" and killed about 100 militants, without providing evidence.
Civilians trapped in North Gaza
Israel expanded an ongoing military operation around Jabalia in the north of Gaza, where around 400,000 people are trapped, according to Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
Posting on social media platform X, Lazzarini said there was "no end to hell" in the area and that "recent evacuation orders from the Israeli authorities are forcing people to flee again & again".
The army surrounded the town of Jabalia and its refugee camp over the weekend and was shelling it on Wednesday, preventing the delivery of aid, the Palestinian territory's civil defence agency said.
Washington said it was "incredibly concerned" about the humanitarian situation in north Gaza as Israel tightens its siege, adding that it had been "the subject of some very urgent discussions between our two governments".
"We have been making clear to the government of Israel that they have an obligation under international humanitarian law to allow food and water and other needed humanitarian assistance to make it into all parts of Gaza," State Department spokesman Miller told journalists.
US warns Israel not to repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon
Israel's main international ally the United States warned Wednesday against Gaza-like military action in Lebanon after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened it with "destruction" similar to that of the Palestinian territory.
But armed forces chief Herzi Halevi vowed to keep up Israel's intensive bombing of Hezbollah targets, which has already killed more than 1,200 people since September 23, "without allowing them any respite or recovery".
The comments came after a hotly anticipated phone call between Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden, their first in seven weeks, which had been expected to focus on Israel's response to last week's missile barrage by Iran.
During the call, Biden told Netanyahu to "minimise harm" to civilians in Lebanon, particularly in "densely populated areas of Beirut", the White House said.
"There should be no kind of military action in Lebanon that looks anything like Gaza and leaves a result anything like Gaza," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told journalists.
Netanyahu said in a video address to the people of Lebanon on Tuesday: "You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza."
He added: "Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end."