A Hezbollah rescue worker, left, and a Lebanese Civil Defence worker, right, stand on the rubble of destroyed buildings at commercial street that was hit Saturday night by Israeli airstrikes, in NAbatiyeh town, south Lebanon, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024.
“They were safe, while he was sleeping, and he and all his children died,” said the man's brother, Mohammad Abu Ghali. Women stroked the body bags, in tears. Israel has ordered the full evacuation of northern Gaza, including Gaza City. An estimated 400,000 people remain in the north after a mass evacuation ordered in the war's opening weeks. Palestinians fear Israel intends to permanently depopulate the north to establish military bases or Jewish settlements there.The military confirmed that hospitals were included in evacuation orders but said it had not set a timetable and was working with local authorities to facilitate patient transfers.
Israel's bombardment and its ground invasion of Gaza have killed over 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, and left much of the territory in ruins. The ministry doesn't distinguish between militants or civilians, but says women and children make up over half the deaths. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.
In a separate incident, the Lebanese Red Cross said paramedics were searching for casualties in a house destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Sunday when a second strike left four paramedics with concussions and damaged two ambulances. The peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL said Israeli tanks forcibly entered the gates of one of its positions early Sunday morning and destroyed the main gate, calling it a “further flagrant violation of international law.” Israeli strikes have wounded five peacekeepers in recent days. Israel's military made no immediate comment.