Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called the country’s strike on a displacement camp in Rafah a “tragic mistake.”
Netanyahu Calls Israeli Strike On Rafah ‘Tragic Mistake’
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called the country’s strike on a displacement camp in Rafah a “tragic mistake.” He said that Israel is carrying out investigation into the incident.
In Short
•An Israeli strike destroyed a tent camp of displaced Palestinians, and killed 45
•Netanyahu called it a “tragic mistake” despite efforts not to harm civilians
•Palestinian death crossed 36,000, 2.3 million people fled their homes
In his address at the Israeli Knesset on Monday, Netanyahu said, “Despite our best effort, not to harm those not involved, unfortunately a tragic mistake happened last night. We are investigating the case.” Shortly after the attack, the Israel Defence Forces announced that two senior Hamas officials had been killed after targeting a Hamas compound. The Israeli attack followed Hamas’ first rocket attack on the Israeli city of Tel Aviv in months.
At least 45 people were killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service. The ministry said the dead included at least 12 women, eight children and three older adults, with another three bodies burned beyond recognition.
Israel has faced surging international criticism over its war with Hamas, with even some of its closest allies, particularly the United States, expressing outrage at civilian deaths. Israel insists it adheres to international law even as it faces scrutiny in the world’s top courts, one of which last week demanded that it halt the offensive in Rafah. In a separate development, Egypt’s military said one of its soldiers was shot dead during an exchange of fire in the Rafah area, without providing further details. Israel said it was in contact with Egyptian authorities, and both sides said they were investigating.
Netanyahu says Israel must destroy what he calls Hamas’ last remaining battalions in Rafah. The militant group launched a barrage of rockets Sunday from the city toward heavily populated central Israel, setting off air raid sirens but causing no injuries.
The ICJ Ruling On Israel’s Rafah Offensive And Its Implications
This is the third time that the United Nation’s top court has issued preliminary orders to alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza. The ICJ on May 24 ordered Israel to halt its military operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah in a ruling that can further the country’s international isolation and escalate demands for a ceasefire more than seven months into the war triggered by Hamas’ October 7 attack.
