Gazans inspect their damaged shelters following an Israeli airstrike inside the Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital compound in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza Strip, on Saturday. Photo by Mohammed Saber/EPA-EFE
Nov. 9 (UPI) — Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon that killed dozens while targeting Hamas and Hezbollah militants Saturday morning.
While Israel’s wars with Hamas and Hezbollah continue in Gaza and Lebanon, Qatar officials no longer will mediate a cease-fire deal on behalf of Hamas, NBC News reported. CNN and Fox News unnamed U.S. officials also confirmed the decision.
IDF airstrikes throughout much of Gaza began at dawn Saturday and killed at least 40, Al Jazeera reported.
Local officials and first-responders reported 40 Gazans killed during the airstrikes, including 24 in northern Gaza and others near Khan Younis, Beit Lahiya, Gaza City and Deir el-Balah.
The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed 14 deaths, including women and children, while IDF officials said dozens of Hamas militants were killed in northern Gaza, VOA News reported.
An airstrike killed five and wounded 22 when Israeli aircraft struck the Fahad Al-Sabah school in Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah district. The casualties were taken to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital for treatment.
The IDF said its forces killed “dozens of terrorists” in northern Gaza’s Jabalia area where a ground operation has been underway for more than a month to stop Hamas from regrouping in the area.
The IDF said it also killed militants in the Rafah area of southern Gaza while engaged in a two-front war with Hamas to the south and Hezbollah to the north in Lebanon.
The IDF carried out airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut and in Tyre in Lebanon.
“Over the past day, the [Israel Air Force] struck over 50 targets in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said in a statement.
“Among the targets were military structures, weapons storage facilities and launchers,” the IDF said.
The IDF targeted Hezbollah embedded its operations in residential and manufacturing centers in and near Beirut despite the resulting dangers to Lebanese citizens, the Jerusalem Post reported.
The IDF has targeted Hamas and Hezbollah militants during dozens of military actions begun Friday morning and continuing through the overnight hours and into Saturday.
Hamas recently rejected a cease-fire proposal mediated by Qatar.
Qatar officials notified Hamas, Israeli and U.S. officials regarding its decision to expel Hamas 10 days ago.
“Qatar has become increasingly frustrated with a lack of progress toward a cease-fire by both Hamas and Israel,” one of the diplomats told NBC News Saturday morning.
“Hamas has been told that if this continues then Qatar cannot continue to host them.”
The officials did not say whether Hamas was given a deadline.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani has played a key role in mediating talks between Hamas and Israel, alongside Egypt and the U.S., since the Oct. 7 war.