Deadly strike on Rafah a tragic mishap, Netanyahu says

The Israeli leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, has described the deadly attack of many homeless Palestinians in Rafah on Sunday as an unfortunate accident. This statement comes as many countries around the world are expressing their disapproval of the incident.

The health ministry controlled by Hamas revealed that a minimum of 45 individuals passed away. Additionally, hundreds of people were given medical attention due to severe burns, fractures, and injuries caused by shrapnel.

During a speech at the Israeli parliament, Mr. Netanyahu emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of innocent individuals who are affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He stressed the need for Israel to utilize all necessary measures to ensure their protection.

However, he maintained that the IDF made every possible effort to avoid causing harm to innocent people involved in the conflict and pledged to continue battling Hamas.

During his speech, Mr. Netanyahu expressed that he has no plans to stop the war until all objectives have been met. The speech was interrupted at times by outbursts from relatives of individuals who were taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7th attack in southern Israel.

Some relatives are criticizing the prime minister, claiming that he has not been successful in negotiating the repatriation of their family members.

Mr. Netanyahu stated that in Rafah, they have successfully removed around one million citizens who are not involved in combat. However, despite their best efforts to avoid causing harm to these non-combatants, something has gone terribly wrong, resulting in a tragic outcome.

We are currently examining the situation and we will come to a resolution as it aligns with our standard procedure.

Numerous global organizations have expressed their disapproval of the airstrike, with the European Union urging Israel to adhere to the recent decision made by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to cease attacks in Rafah. The highest-ranking diplomat of the EU, Josep Borrell, described the occurrence on Sunday as unsettling.

Even though the ICJ made a decision, Israel promised to keep going with the assault on Rafah. They believe that the verdict permits the attack to be done within the bounds of international law.

In the meantime, Volker Turk, the head of the United Nations' human rights division, expressed his concern that Israel has not altered their approach to warfare, despite the many innocent civilian deaths that have occurred as a result of their actions. The recent attack serves as a stark reminder that the strategies employed by Israel have remained unchanged.

Israel carried out an attack on Rafah on Sunday, which occurred just a few hours after Hamas fired missiles at Tel Aviv for the first time in several months.

According to officials from the Israeli Defense Forces, there was an attack that resulted in the demise of two high-ranking leaders of the Hamas organization. The IDF is currently conducting an investigation into whether there were any non-combatants who were also casualties in the incident.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the attack by air was meant for shelters of those who are displaced close to a UN location in Tal al-Sultan, which is situated approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) towards the north-west of Rafah's center.

On Sunday night, there were videos captured from the Tal al-Sultan area demonstrating a massive explosion and vigorous flames blazing.

A disturbing video displayed numerous buildings on fire located next to a sign that read “Kuwaiti Peace Camp '1'”. In addition, emergency workers and onlookers were seen transporting multiple dead bodies.

MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, reported that one of its medical centers was the recipient of no less than 28 deceased individuals after an attack, among which were females and minors.

The group stated that they have provided medical aid to an additional 180 injured individuals from Palestine. The majority of these patients have sustained severe injuries in the form of shrapnel wounds, broken bones, traumatic injuries, and burns.

MSF disputed the accuracy of Israeli's claim about the airstrike, remarking that the "violation of a heavily populated area that was considered safe in Rafah exhibits a complete lack of value for the welfare of the Gaza residents."

On Monday evening, the United States expressed its deep sorrow upon seeing the images and regarded it as a tragic occurrence. However, the country firmly claimed that Israel has every right to safeguard its own territory.

A spokesperson for the White House's national security division stated that Israel has the right to pursue Hamas, and they acknowledge that two Hamas leaders were killed in the operation. These leaders were held accountable for attacking civilians in Israel.

However, they admitted that "Israel has the responsibility to take all necessary measures in order to ensure the safety of innocent individuals."

On Monday, the officials of Israel were in a frenzy to determine the cause of the tragedy in Rafah. They were trying to figure out how a supposedly accurate attack, using special weaponry with less powerful explosives, managed to cause such a chaotic and devastating event that claimed the lives of numerous people and left countless others injured.

After receiving the ICJ's ruling to cease any activities that could cause harm to the Palestinians residing in the Rafah area, Israel is aware that the entire world is monitoring their actions. As a result, there is a significant amount of pressure on Israel to clarify their behavior.

According to reports, the operation was carried out with the help of intelligence and it appears that both members of Hamas were successfully eliminated.

The large amount of people and the existence of flammable items leads to many inquiries regarding the planning and execution of this event.

The IDF's advocate general, Maj Gen Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi, along with other high-ranking military personnel, have vowed to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the matter, so we can anticipate a more elaborate clarification to be provided in the near future.

However, it is uncertain if this signifies a pivotal moment in the campaign.

There is no indication that Sunday's catastrophe will alter Mr. Netanyahu's determination to achieve what he refers to as "complete triumph" in Rafah.

Although the events from last night were terrible, Israeli troops seem to be proceeding with caution as they advance towards the city of Rafah.

Their activities until now have not caused a massacre.

However, the air strike from last night managed to cause further damage to Israel's already weakened reputation and undermine the reasoning behind its continued efforts.