Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday shared an aerial image of Beit Hanoun, a city in northern Gaza, boasting of its total destruction and declaring, "After Rafah and Beit Hanoun ... there is no refuge for terrorism." 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. — Agencies
