### Deadly Israeli Strike Collapses Gaza Residential Building, Scores Trapped Under Rubble

An Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, resulted in significant casualties on Tuesday. According to an Israeli military official, the strike was conducted in response to a "spotter" seen on the roof observing Israeli forces. The official clarified that the attack was not pre-planned and claimed ignorance of the building's use as a shelter for displaced people.

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry reported that over 90 Palestinians, including 25 children, were either killed or remained missing beneath the rubble of the five-storey building, which completely collapsed after the strike. Discrepancies between the number of casualties reported by Gaza authorities and the observations made by Israeli forces were noted by the military official.

The airstrike drew sharp reactions, particularly from the United States, Israel's closest ally. The US State Department described the incident as "horrifying" and demanded a thorough explanation. State department spokesman Matthew Miller stated on Wednesday that Israel's response had been insufficient, adding that Israel had only shared ongoing investigation details similar to their public statements.

Due to restrictions on international media access to Gaza, independent verification of the incident remains challenging. Nonetheless, video footage and witness testimonies provide a grim picture of the aftermath. Social media videos posted shortly after the airstrike showed bodies wrapped in blankets and people collecting body parts from the debris.

Survivor Umm Malik Abu Nasr recounted her harrowing experience to BBC Arabic's Gaza Today. She described how the strike demolished her family's home and trapped several people under the rubble. "Around 00:30 or 01:00, the Awda family house next to us was bombed," she said. "We rushed to help them, but their daughter died in our home. At 04:00, our house, which was sheltering about 300 displaced people, collapsed on top of us."

Abu Nasr mentioned that her husband and several other relatives were still missing under the rubble and had not been rescued. The nearby Kamal Adwan hospital, which is severely understaffed following a recent Israeli raid, reported receiving over 25 bodies and another 77 individuals trapped underneath the collapsed building. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya noted that around 45 injured people, including women and children, were brought to the hospital by various means, highlighting the dire state of emergency services in the area.

UN Middle East peace envoy Tor Wennesland condemned the incident, labeling it as part of a "deadly series of recent mass casualty incidents" in northern Gaza. He raised serious concerns about potential violations of humanitarian law amid a massive displacement campaign. Since the Israeli military's ground offensive began in Beit Lahia, Jabalia, and Beit Hanoun on 6 October, hundreds have reportedly been killed, with more than 70,000 residents fleeing to Gaza City.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened, with severe shortages of essential supplies and the closure of critical services such as medical facilities and water wells. This offensive follows a devastating Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others.

Since the onslaught, Gaza's health ministry reports a staggering toll of more than 43,160 deaths. As tensions escalate, the plight of Gaza's civilians trapped in a deepening humanitarian crisis grows increasingly desperate.