The United Nations Security Council has convened an emergency meeting after an Israeli air strike razed Rafah, a Gaza refugee camp, killing up to 45 Palestinians-most of them being women and children.
The incident has further fueled international criticism against Israel for its nearly two-week-old conflict with Hamas as its closest allies condemned its acts of war.
Israel PM Netanyahu acknowledges ‘tragic mistake’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation, saying: “Contrary to our best efforts to avoid civilian casualties, this morning an error led to tragedy. We are investigating the incident and hope it will come clear because that is our policy.”
Rafah Tragedy
Rafah, on the southern border of Gaza with Egypt, had been a center of displacement for over a million people, almost half of the population of Gaza, who had been displaced from various parts of the territory. Since Israel began its “limited incursion” at the beginning of the month, most of the area’s displaced people have once again become refugees. The Israeli army has repeatedly bombed Rafah, hitting the districts of Tal as-Sultan, Saudi, Tal Za’roub, and al-Hashashin, which have led to many dead.
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The Deadly Strike
The early morning strike in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, hit a tent camp where hundreds of displaced Palestinians had taken refuge after fleeing Israeli artillery fire on northern Gaza. Most of the victims were women and children. The deaths brought a chorus of international condemnation and fresh calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Israel’s top military prosecutor said early Sunday the military regarded the shelling as “very grave” while another inquiry was opened. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, saying it targeted Hamas fighters.
Hospital Closures
“Two of our medical staff were killed due to Israeli bombardment, and therefore, the administration of the hospital decided to close down its doors,” he said, adding that it leaves now only two hospitals to operate in the city. In central Gaza, at al-Aqsa hospital, hundreds of patients are under threat as Israeli occupying forces are leading an intensive fuel blockade.
Casualty Count
Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip, since the flare-up began on October 7, have killed at least 36,050 Palestinians and injured 81,026 others. At least 1,139 people, mostly soldiers, have been killed in the Hamas attacks on Israel, with dozens still in the hands of the militants. The Israeli raids from the air and with artillery continue unabated across the strip of Gaza, as well as in the south of Rafah, where overnight strikes brought to at least seven the number of people killed in the areas of Tal as-Sultan and al-Hashashin.
International Response
The massacres in the Rafah camp brought condemnations from the international community and triggered a series of protests across some cities of the world, including Barcelona, Istanbul, Paris, New York City, and Tunis. The UN aid chief, Martin Griffiths, said that the admission from Netanyahu that the attack in Rafah was a “tragic mistake” was the “latest – and possibly most cruel – abomination.”
Global Condemnation
Here is a sampling of the international response to the Rafah camp massacre:
- African Union: AU Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has condemned these actions by Israel. An official statement on the website reads: “The State of Israel continues to violate international law with impunity and in contempt of an ICJ ruling two days ago ordering an end to its military action in Rafah.”
- Chile: The country “strongly condemns the indiscriminate attack by the [Israeli military] on a civilian refugee camp in Rafah.”
- Colombia: “The massacre continues,” President Gustavo Petro said ***.
- Egypt: The country denounced what it described as “a systematic policy aimed at widening the scope of death and destruction in the Gaza Strip to make it uninhabitable.”
- European Union: Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said, “I strongly condemn this.”
- France: President Emmanuel Macron said, “These operations need to stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for the Palestinian civilians.”
- Qatar: It condemned “the Israeli army’s aggression against a refugee camp in the city of Rafah, and in the entire Gaza Strip, and its continued violation of international law.”
- Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, “We are going to do whatever is necessary so that these terrorists pay for their barbarism, which has nothing to do with Islam.”
- United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “The violence must stop.” UN humanitarian aid chief Martin Griffiths said the Rafah attack was “the latest – and possibly the most cruel – abomination.”
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Escalation in Lebanon
“The latest development came after the Israeli military announced it had hit a ‘number of terrorist targets’ linked to the Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon,” including a “munitions warehouse” in the Meiss el Jabal area close to the border with Israel, and “military buildings” in the villages of Aita al-Shaab and Khiam. The Israeli army added it also identified three anti-tank missiles that were fired at Israel from Lebanon and it returned artillery into Lebanon — though there had been no injuries.
Broader Impact on Gaza
The overall impact of the continued conflict in Gaza encompasses the constant air raids and artillery shelling in various regions.
- Bureij Refugee Camp: At least two persons were killed in several air raids. Central Gaza: Artillery shelling, including inside the city of Deir el-Balah and areas east of the Bureij camp.
- North Gaza City: The bombing of a house in the Daraj neighborhood has resulted in the killing of at least two people.
- Gaza City Outskirts: Artillery shelling targeted the al-Mughraqa and az-Zahra.
Conclusion
The deepening humanitarian situation in Gaza remains heart-rending, owing to ongoing military strikes. The call of the international community for a ceasefire and the respect of international laws are evidence of the need for a solution to the war. The emergency meeting of the UN Security Council even better explains why there is urgency and a need for accountability and peace.
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