Nine individuals, including humanitarian workers and journalists, were slain in Israeli attacks on Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday (March 15), said Gaza’s civil defense agency.
Drone Strike in Intensive Shelling
The drone strike occurred on a vehicle as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were engaged in intensive artillery shelling of the region.
“Nine martyrs have been transferred to the hospital, including several journalists and a number of workers from the Al-Khair Charitable Organisation,” said Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for Gaza’s civil defence agency.
Hamas Calls Attack ‘Horrific Massacre’
Hamas condemned the attack as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire deal.
Hazem Qassem, Hamas spokesman, said:
“The occupation (Israel) has committed a horrific massacre in the northern Gaza Strip by targeting a group of journalists and humanitarian workers.”
Continued Violence In Spite of Ceasefire Negotiations
The first phase of the ceasefire ended earlier this month, with negotiations ongoing in Doha. However, violence has continued despite the truce.
- Last week, an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza, killed two Palestinians.
- A day earlier, an Israeli drone strike in northern Gaza claimed two more lives.
On Friday (March 14), Hamas announced it was prepared to release an Israeli-American hostage and hand over the remains of four others as part of indirect ceasefire negotiations with Israel.
However, Israel stated that Hamas had “not budged” despite a proposal from US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Israeli Strike in Lebanon Kills One
In the meantime, a Saturday Israeli airstrike on a car in southern Lebanon killed one individual, Lebanon’s health ministry said.
“An Israeli enemy strike on a car in the Burj al-Muluk town (adjacent to the Israeli border) resulted in the death of one citizen,” said the Lebanese health ministry.
A cease-fire agreement on November 27 had all but ended more than a year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, but Israel continues to conduct airstrikes within Lebanon.
Tuesday saw an Israeli airstrike kill a top Hezbollah militant said to oversee the group’s drone and rocket arsenal.
