The Israeli military is probing into a deadly assault on a refugee camp near Rafah.
Yesterday, an attack during the night in Rafah led to a fire in a nearby camp. Media outlets, like AFP, captured images of the aftermath- destroyed tents and vehicles lay in ashes. According to Hamas's civil defense authority, many of the casualties suffered severe burns.
The death toll for this massacre, as reported by Hamas Health Ministry, reached forty-five, including twenty-three women, children, and the elderly. Further, 249 injuries have been noted. The camp, seen as a refuge by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), refugees in Barkasat, northwest of Rafah, is the site of this devastation.
The International Red Cross shared that many injured individuals have shown up at their field hospitals for treatment of wounds and burns. The team there is doing everything they can to save lives.
In a different turn of events, the Israeli army claimed that they targeted a Hamas complex in Rafah, where notable Hamas members were actively participating in hostile activities. They employed "precision munition" against "legitimate targets." Two high-ranking members of Hamas, involved in West Bank attacks, were reported dead as a result of the raid. The Israeli army also admitted to examining claims about "civilians in the area incurring injuries due to the strike and the fire."
The army's in-house legal advisor ordered an investigation into the matter. Before the airstrike occurred, various safety measures had been taken, including airspace monitoring, precision bombings executed by the air force, and additional intel from security services.
In an official statement to the Knesset, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed sympathy for the unintentional deaths of the uninvolved in Rafah. He also mentioned the intention to conduct an inquiry. Earlier, the government official shared the initiation of probing this incident. Avi Hyman, the government spokesman, voiced, "This was serious. Every loss of civilian life is a serious and regrettable matter."
International organizations, particularly the European Union and other countries, have reacted angrily. EU Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, has urged these attacks to end immediately. Previously, heavy criticism had come from Turkey and the Arab world, including key mediators like Qatar and Egypt. Their efforts to broker a ceasefire and the release of prisoners have been unsuccessful.
The UN's Human Rights Commissioner, Volker Turk, found the images from the refugee camp "appalling" and suggested the same techniques of warfare employed by Israel. He also urged the militant Palestinian groups to stop shooting rockets into Israel and immediately release all hostages.
The Israeli airstrike on Rafah followed a dramatic rocket assault from Rafah. As per Israeli accounts, missiles were fired at Tel Aviv and Israel's heartland for the first time in months on Sunday. One individual associated with the armed wing of Hamas proclaimed the release of a "large wave of rockets" toward Tel Aviv.
The German government has approached the situation cautiously. Spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, stated the legal profession should determine guilt. "If something like this takes place, it is deplorable," he said. "However, the verdict cannot be made solely based on visuals. Still, Israel is authorized under international law to protect itself."
In condemnation of the military attack, the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, sees it as a disregard of a court order by The Hague's International Court of Justice.
The clash between Israel and Hamas, recognized as a terrorist group by the US and the EU, has persisted for more than seven months. On October 7, Hamas launched a shocking attack against Israel, resulting in over 1170 casualties, along with 252 hostages captured in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has been engaging in a massive military operation in the Gaza Strip ever since. The Hamas-controlled health ministry, unverifiable independently, reports a death toll of over 36000.
Amidst this chaos in Rafah, over a million individuals have sought refuge, seeking to escape the impact of Israel's offensive. Israel maintains that there are still Hamas insurgents in the area.
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- The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has expressed concern over the situation in the Gaza Strip following the deadly assault on a refugee camp near Rafah.
- Volker Türk, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on both Israel and Hamas to respect international human rights laws and protect civilians during this conflict.
- In response to the attack, the EU has issued a statement strongly condemning the use of force in civilian areas and urged both parties to de-escalate the situation and engage in a meaningful dialogue.
- Egypt, a key mediator in the Israel-Gaza conflict, has also expressed its concern over the escalating tensions and urged both sides to return to the negotiation table.
- The BMG (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) has pledged to provide humanitarian aid to the children and families affected by the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
- The AFP reported that women and children were among the casualties in the air attack on a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.
- The UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) has called for an immediate end to the hostilities and for the protection of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
- Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has apologized for the unintentional loss of civilian lives during the attack on a Hamas complex in Rafah.
- Harakat el-Mukawame el-Islamije, an armed wing of Hamas, has claimed responsibility for launching rockets into Israel, leading to a retaliatory Israeli air attack.
- The USA has condemned the attacks on civilian areas in the Gaza Strip and called on both Israel and Hamas to uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians.
- The State of Palestine has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the escalating violence in the Gaza Strip and to call for an immediate ceasefire.
Source: www.stern.de
