Nearly 100 people have been killed in a large-scale Israeli ground, air and sea attack launched early yesterday in north Gaza, the Hamas-run civil defence and residents said.
The civil defence said at least nine homes and tents housing civilians had been bombed overnight and it had received dozens of calls from people trapped.
Witnesses also reported smoke bombs, artillery shelling and tanks in Beit Lahia.
Israel’s military said it was “operating to locate and dismantle terrorist infrastructure sites” in north Gaza and had “eliminated several terrorists” over the past day.
This marks the largest ground assault on north Gaza since Israel resumed its offensive in March.
Basheer al-Ghandour, who fled Beit Lahia for Jabalia after the attack, told the BBC people were sleeping when suddenly “intense bombing” hit overnight.
“It came from all sides – air strikes and warships. My brother’s house collapsed. There were 25 people inside,” he said.
He said 11 people were injured and five killed, including his nieces, aged five and 18, and a 15-year-old nephew. He and others tried to free relatives from the rubble.
BY ABU NMODU, Minna
Police in Niger State have arrested five persons who claimed to be Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials to abduct students at the IBB University in Lapai, Niger State.
Our correspondent gathered that the fake operatives at the students’ lodge off campus forced two students into a Toyota Corolla car with registration number ABJ 245 CU.
It was learnt their action raised suspicion among other students who immediately informed police attached to the Lapai Division who mobilised and trailed the vehicle to Suleja road by Kwakuti and initially arrested three suspects.
Police spokesman in the state, Wasiu Abiodun who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the Emmanuel Linus of Deidei, Abuja, Hyelda Aliyu of Nyanya, Abuja and Abduljallid Tanko Karo also of Abuja as well as Mohammed Hassan and Hamisu Adamu both of Angwan-Hausa in Lapai who were the informants were arrested.
“The suspects were arrested with the said vehicle, unfortunately, one Alfa James among the suspects escaped from the scene. During interrogation, they confessed that they were invited by their informants, as this is their means of livelihood,” the spokesman said.
He said they entered one of the students’ rooms with three electric tasers held as guns, collected five phones and abducted two of the students.
Abiodun said the suspects requested N10 million and later negotiated to N500,000 before they were arrested, saying they confessed that the identity cards used were designed at a shop in Nyanya, Abuja.
He said, “The informants gave Emmanuel Linus information about the students, having known each other in Paiko, Emmanuel was identified as a dismissed soldier with criminal records and ex-convict in the past two years.”