Israel Continues Rafah Strikes
Israel Continues Rafah Strikes: Military Advances and Civilian Impact
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Israeli tanks had advanced to the center of Rafah, three weeks into the Israeli military's ground invasion of the city. Witnesses noted that the army had seized control of the Al-Awda roundabout, a prominent landmark in Rafah's central district.
The escalating Israeli offensive resulted in the deaths of at least 16 Palestinians due to air strikes in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in northwest Rafah on the same day.
Israel Continues Rafah Strikes: International Criticism and Civilian Casualties
Israel has faced international criticism for the high number of civilian casualties after nearly eight months of conflict in Gaza. On Sunday, an Israeli strike caused a fire in a Palestinian civilian tent camp, killing at least 45 people and sparking global outrage.
Israel continues Rafah strikes days after 45 civilians killed in bombinghttps://t.co/V3zPWYFVIw pic.twitter.com/AfMmZov7TG
— TIME (@TIME) May 28, 2024
Source: Twitter/TIME
"We retrieved children in pieces, along with young and elderly people. The fire in the camp was beyond belief," said Mohammed Abuassa, a witness at the scene, to the Associated Press.
Global Leaders React to Rafah Strikes
Global leaders condemned the attack and urged Israel to cease its operations in Rafah. "These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians. I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire," France's President Emmanuel Macron posted on X.
A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council stated that while Israel has a "right to go after Hamas," there is concern over the civilian casualties. "Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians," the spokesperson emphasized.
Netanyahu Addresses the Incident
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as a "tragic mistake" during a speech to the Israeli parliament on Monday. "We are investigating the incident and will reach a conclusion because this is our policy," Netanyahu stated.
The Israeli military asserted that the attack aimed at a Hamas compound in Rafah resulted in the deaths of two senior militants.
However, rights groups argue that Israel often fails to conduct thorough investigations into violence against Palestinians and that, in the rare instances when soldiers are held accountable, the punishments are usually minimal.
Escalation of Hostilities
Earlier on Sunday, eight long-range rockets were launched from southeastern Rafah towards central Israel, marking the first such attack since January.
Most of the rockets were intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system, preventing any injuries.
ICJ Orders Halt to Military Offensive
Last week, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to "immediately halt its military offensive and any other actions in the Rafah governorate that could impose conditions of life on the Palestinian group in Gaza that may lead to its physical destruction, in whole or in part."
This ICJ order was issued shortly after its chief prosecutor announced his intention to seek arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders from both Israel and Hamas for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Conflict Statistics
Since the conflict began in October, the Hamas-led Gaza Ministry of Health reports that at least 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, a figure deemed credible by both the U.S. and the U.N.
Approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed during the October 7 Hamas attack, and an additional 300 Israeli soldiers have been killed since Israel commenced its ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Approximately 1.5 million displaced Gazans were taking refuge in Rafah prior to Israel's ground invasion weeks ago. Since then, most of them have been forced to flee once more to escape the intense fighting that has engulfed the southern part of the enclave.
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