Death toll in Israeli strikes in central Gaza rises to 25 as Beirut suburb is pounded again
Associated PressNov 03
Israel's Offensive in Northern Gaza Expands to Beit Lahiya
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Above: Palestinians check the damage in the courtyard of a UN school-turned-shelter following an Israeli strike in the Al-Shati refugee camp on November 7, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Hamas militant group. Image copyright: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
Israel's military said on Thursday that its offensive in northern Gaza would expand to Beit Lahiya. Around 3K Palestinians are thought to still be in the area, and Israel has called for them to evacuate. Israeli forces had been focusing on nearby Jabalia for the last month.
Israeli bombardment of northern Gaza alongside its evacuation orders have forced scores to flee. Israel said it found evidence that Hamas fighters had been active in Beit Lahiya. Israel has launched multiple offensives in the area to dislodge Hamas' forces.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Though the situation in the region continues to escalate, the US has stood firm in its role as a mediator. Israel has every right to respond to the daily terror attacks it has seen since Oct. 7. However, it is in no one's interest for tensions to explode into a wider regional war. The US will continue to work toward regional stability.
Pro-Israel narrative
Hamas continues to use Gaza's civilian population as human shields, as it increasingly converts schools and hospitals into command and control centers. Indeed, Hamas is solely to blame for the destruction of Gaza and its impact on the civilian population, as it started this terrible war with the massacres of Oct. 7. Israel will continue to pacify the group and confront its regional enemies.
Pro-Palestine narrative
Israel's true goal in northern Gaza is to starve and exterminate the civilian population so that the region is never inhabited by Palestinians again, paving the way for Israeli settlers. Israeli politicians and military officials have been quite clear about the country's genocidal goals, yet the media continues to ignore their horrifying ambitions. This is a campaign of mass extermination that has received the full backing of the US.
