The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that it had made a “wrongful mistake” over its southern Gaza strikes A refugee camp in Rafah city has been set ablaze, local officials say. killing At least 45 people.
The attack will only contribute to the wave of global condemnation faced by Israel Hamaseven its best friends have expressed outrage at the civilian deaths. It argues that it respects international law despite the ongoing cases against it in some world’s highest courts, including last week’s order from one such court for it to halt the campaign in Rafah.
Netanyahu did not go into details about what he was referring to as wrong. Initially, Israeli military said their airstrikes on Hamas compound were precise and they killed two top militants. As reports came out about the attack and fire, the military stated that investigations are already underway concerning the deaths of civilians involved.
Gaza health ministry described Sunday night assault as one of deadliest during this war and pushing total Palestinian death toll during this war past 36,000.
“Despite our best efforts not to harm innocent civilians, a tragic error occurred last night,” Netanyahu told lawmakers in Knesset on Monday. “Of course we regret this incident and we shall draw conclusions because this is our policy.”
Mohamed Absa who arrived at northwest Ter-Sultan scene said rescuers “saved persons who were living under intolerable conditions.”
“We saved children whose bodies had exploded into pieces. We rescued young men and elderly people. It was an unreal fire in camp,” he added.
According to Gaza’s health ministry and Palestinian Red Crescent relief agency at least forty-five people died. The ministry reported at least 12 women, eight children, three elderly dead persons while police sources indicated that three others Body Burned Beyond Recognition.
The Egyptian military reportedly alleged that a soldier was killed in crossfire at Rafa but gave no further details. Both sides spoke with Egyptian authorities and Israel said that it is investigating.
An initial investigation revealed that the soldier was intervening in a gunfight between Israeli troops and Palestinian militants, state-owned Qahera TV reported. Egyptian authorities have warned that an Israeli incursion into Rafah could jeopardise their decades-old peace treaty.
Algeria, the Arab representative on the council has requested for an emergency session of the UN Security Council behind closed doors in order to discuss the situation in Rafah this afternoon two Security Council diplomats told The Associated Press before there were any official announcement.
Rafah is Gaza’s southernmost city bordering Egypt with more than one million inhabitants, approximately fifty percent of Gaza’s population who have fled from different parts of the enclave. Most have fled again since Israel launched what it calls a limited invasion there earlier this month. Hundreds of thousands live for now in squalid tent cities inside and around the town.
Meanwhile, at another hospital in Rafah called Kuwait Hospital which was still operating partly Dr Suhaib Hamas announced its closure and transfer of staff to a field hospital. On Monday he stated that two medical personnel had been killed outside his facility during the strike.
Netanyahu stated that Israel needed to wipe out the last Hamas forces in Rafah. The armed group discharged a barrage of rockets from the city into heavily crowded central Israel, triggering an air raid siren but no fatalities.
Thus, even Israel’s most vocal backers condemned what happened in Rafah.
The statement by the National Security Council mentioned “devastating images” of the attack on Rafah which were termed as “heartbreaking”. This is according to a statement by American President Joe Biden who added that they are investigating what happened together with others including Israeli military.
French President Macron was even more outspoken. He posted on X that “these actions must stop.” road
The sight of charred bodies, including children, in the Rafah airstrike is unbearable,” said Germany’s foreign ministry, which has been a staunch supporter of Israel for decades.
“The specific situation must be clarified. The investigation announced by Israel army Action must be taken quickly now,” the ministry added. “Civilians must ultimately be better protected.”
Qatar is spearheading mediation efforts towards getting a ceasefire and release of Palestinians captive; this was revealed during a meeting by Hamas which said the attack on Rafah could “complicate” negotiations. Negotiations have repeatedly reached deadlocks.
The military’s top legal officer Maj Gen Ifat Tomer-Yerosalmi said that authorities are looking into an attack at Rafah, but admitted that there were civilian casualties.’’
Tomer-Yelushalmi told a conference of Israeli lawyers that among other offences being investigated included 70 investigations against those who may have violated international law such as deaths of civilians during detention conditions at Israeli detention facilities where alleged militants were held and some cases when prisoners died while in custody. She also went on to say property crime and theft cases had been opened before her office for investigation.
Israel insists it has an independent judiciary capable of investigating and prosecuting abuses; human rights organizations argue that Israeli authorities often fail to adequately investigate violence against Palestinians, and when soldiers are held accountable, the punishments are typically lenient.
Israel has denied South Africa’s claims of genocide before the International Court of Justice. It had ordered Israel last week to stop its Rafah operation but it cannot enforce this.
The Chief Prosecutor for the ICC in a separate case has requested warrants of arrest for Prime Minister Netanyahu as well as Defense Minister Yoav Galant both from Israel. He has also named three Hamas leaders whose arrest he is seeking over war related crimes. The ICC will only intervene if it concludes that the state concerned is unable or unwilling to adequately prosecute such crimes.
Israel insists it did everything humanly possible to follow the rules on war. In addition, some Israeli officials argue that they face an enemy which makes no commitments to any humanitarian standards, moving deep into residential areas and refusing to release Israeli hostages unconditionally.
The war began when Palestinian militants attacked Israel on October 7 in which about 1,200 people mainly civilians died and about 250 people were taken hostage. Hamas still holds around a hundred hostages together with approximately thirty human remains which were mostly released last year during a cease fire.
80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants have become internally displaced persons following severe hunger while other parts of the region are experiencing famine according U.N officials.
