The image, posted to Katz's official X account, depicts a
flattened urban landscape — reduced to rubble and ruins — revealing the extent
of devastation inflicted on the town.
Beit Hanoun, located along Gaza’s northern border with
Israel, was among the first areas invaded by the Israeli army during its ground
operation that began on October 28, 2023.
More than 21 months into the war on Gaza, Palestinian armed
factions have continued to launch organized ambushes in the area, challenging
Israel’s military objectives.
Last week, five Israeli soldiers from the “Netzah Yehuda”
Battalion were killed and 14 others injured — two critically — in an attack in
Beit Hanoun, according to official Israeli military reports.
A military investigation confirmed that Hamas fighters
detonated three explosive devices targeting an Israeli foot patrol, followed by
direct gunfire.
The Israeli military has increasingly relied on heavy
artillery and aerial bombardment to enforce control over Beit Hanoun, which it
recently claimed to have surrounded.
On June 2, 2024, Gaza’s Municipal Emergency Committee
declared Beit Hanoun a “disaster area” due to near-total destruction of
infrastructure, essential services, and the collapse of humanitarian
conditions. Before the war, the town had a population of around 60,000 spread
over 17,000 dunams.
Despite mounting global pressure, Israel continues to reject
calls for a ceasefire. Since the launch of its full-scale offensive in late
October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed nearly 57,800 Palestinians, most
of them women and children.
The destruction has triggered catastrophic humanitarian
conditions across Gaza, with widespread food shortages, the collapse of medical
facilities, and the rapid spread of disease.
The war has drawn international legal scrutiny. In November,
the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war
crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces a genocide case at the
International Court of Justice.
