Israel-Gaza-Lebanon updates: 87 killed in Israeli strikes on Beit Lahia

Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said Tuesday that "two long weeks" of Israeli military operations have "all but collapsed" the health system in northern Gaza.

"Hundreds of Palestinians are reported killed, among them children," Lazzarini wrote on X. "More than 400,000 people continue to be trapped in the area."

"We are not able to reach our teams due to telecommunications cuts," he added. "The U.N. has not been allowed to provide any assistance, including food" since Sept. 30, he said. "The two crossing points into northern Gaza have been closed since."

The Israel Defense Forces is pressing its operation in north Gaza around the Jabalia refugee camp, which the Palestinian Civil Defense said has been put under "complete siege." The IDF said Tuesday it had "eliminated dozens of terrorists over the past day" there with the assistance of airstrikes.

Lazzarini said the camp is the worst affected part of northern Gaza. Around 50,000 people have fled, while basic UNRWA services have been interrupted or forced to halt, he added.

"Such attacks, the sabotage of civilian infrastructure and the deliberate denial of critical assistance continue to be used as a tactic by the Israeli authorities to force people to flee," he said.

"Civilians are given no choice but to either leave or starve."

"In Gaza, too many red lines have been crossed," Lazzarini said. "What might constitute war crimes can still be prevented."

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

The Israel Defense Forces said in a Tuesday statement it struck "over 230 terrorist targets throughout the past day" as it continues its operations in Lebanon and Gaza.

The force claimed to have "eliminated dozens of terrorists in close-quarters combat" and airstrikes in southern Lebanon, along with the dismantling of "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure" and the discovery of "vast quantities of weaponry."

In north Gaza, the IDF continued its intense operation around the Jabalia refugee camp. The Palestinian Civil Defense said the area has been put under "complete siege."

The IDF said its forces "have eliminated dozens of terrorists over the past day" with the assistance of airstrikes.

Fighting is also ongoing in the south of the strip. There, "troops eliminated multiple terrorists and dismantled terrorist infrastructure," the IDF said.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

On Monday, U.S. Army leaders said the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to Israel will include approximately 100 soldiers to operate it.

"The THAAD deployment is going to have about 100 soldiers who will go over to Israel," Christine Wormuth, the secretary of the U.S. Army said at the Army’s annual AUSA conference.

Wormuth did not provide operational or timing details about the deployment of the THAAD system or its deployment for security and force protection reasons.

"I think we should view this THAAD deployment as for what it is, which is another visible statement of our commitment to the security of Israel as it deals with everything that's coming at it from Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon," said Wormuth.

A U.S. official told ABC News that discussions about deploying the THADD system to Israel in order to shore up its defenses against ballistic missile barrages have been underway for months.

-ABC News' Luis Martinez and Shannon Kingston

Thirty trucks carrying flour and food entered Gaza on Monday, according to Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli agency that oversees logistical coordination within the Gaza Strip.

This aid was meant for northern Gaza, COGAT said. However, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme told ABC News it has not yet reached the people there.

"Israel is not denying the entry of humanitarian aid, with an emphasis on food, into the Gaza Strip," COGAT said in response to an inquiry from ABC News.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller and Guy Davies