Israel strikes on Gaza leave at least 87 dead or missing, Palestinian officials say

Israeli strikes on homes in the northern Gaza Strip overnight and into Sunday left at least 87 people dead or missing, the territory’s Health Ministry said, as a large-scale operation continued against Hamas militants said to be regrouping.

The ministry said another 40 people were wounded in the strikes on the town of Beit Lahiya, which was among the first targets of Israel’s ground invasion nearly a year ago. The Israeli military said it carried out a strike on a Hamas target.

Palestinian officials say hundreds of people have been killed in Israel’s two-week operation in northern Gaza, and that the health sector there is close to collapse.

The United States, meanwhile, was investigating an unauthorised release of classified documents that assess Israel’s plans to attack Iran, according to three US officials. The documents indicate that Israel was moving military assets into place for a military strike in response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1.

Iran supports both Hamas and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

A year of escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah boiled over into all-out war last month. Israel sent ground troops into Lebanon early this month.