On October 27, reports from the Palestinian news agency indicated that the Israeli military launched airstrikes on a residential area in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, late on the evening of the 26th. Local sources reported that over 35 people were killed, including women and children, with many others injured.
The attacks reportedly damaged at least five residential buildings. Rescue efforts have been hampered as the Israeli military has blocked access to the affected areas.
Since the resurgence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict last October, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have resulted in nearly 43,000 Palestinian deaths and over 100,000 injuries.
Due to the collapse of the medical system, both the Indonesia Hospital and the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza have ceased operations. On the 25th, Kamal Adwan Hospital was raided by Israeli forces. According to a statement from the World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the 26th, the siege on the hospital had ended, but the institution has paid a heavy price for it.
Tedros noted that three medical personnel and one staff member were injured during the attack, while 44 male medical workers have been detained, and four ambulances were damaged. Currently, the hospital is left with only female staff, the hospital director, and one male doctor to care for nearly 200 patients in urgent need of treatment.
He reiterated that hospitals must be protected from the effects of conflict at all times, emphasizing that any attack on medical facilities violates international humanitarian law and called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
In additional reports, Lebanon’s National News Agency indicated that Israeli airstrikes targeted various areas in Lebanon 76 times within a 24-hour period, resulting in 19 deaths and 108 injuries.
The Guardian reported that on the evening of the 26th, the Iranian military issued a cautious statement prioritizing a deal to end the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon over retaliatory actions against Israel.
On the same day, Israel conducted airstrikes against Iran, which, according to the Iranian Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), resulted in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers. The Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, stated on social media that Iran’s nuclear facilities were not affected by the attacks and called for all parties to exercise restraint to avoid actions that could jeopardize the safety of nuclear and other radioactive materials.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned on the 26th that he was informed prior to Israel’s attacks on Iran. He told reporters that it appeared Israel had not targeted anything beyond military objectives and expressed hope that this would mark the end of hostilities.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin indicated via social media on the 26th that he had spoken with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant that day, emphasizing that Iran should not make the mistake of responding to Israeli attacks. He highlighted opportunities for diplomatic solutions to ease tensions in the region, including agreements for the release of hostages in Gaza and a ceasefire, as well as a plan to safely allow civilians to return home on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border.
IRNA also reported on the 26th that Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian urged the United Nations to condemn Israel’s strikes, labeling them as a serious threat to international peace and security, which further destabilizes an already fragile region. He warned that Iran reserves the right to respond legally to Israel’s acts of aggression at an appropriate time.