Israel faces wave of condemnation over strike on Rafah camp

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Israel came under heavy criticism from various countries around the world on Monday following an incident that occurred in Rafah. According to the authorities in Gaza, an air strike carried out by Israel resulted in the death of many individuals who were residing in a refugee camp for displaced civilians.

Health authorities from Palestine reported that no less than 45 individuals lost their lives, while numerous others sustained injuries following fires and blasts that erupted within the densely populated refugee camp in Rafah's Tal as-Sultan area. The tent city provides shelter for individuals who fled from the ongoing hostilities in other parts of the besieged territory.

The military prosecutor of Israel has noted the occurrence as a challenging one and stated that they are presently investigating the matter. They also expressed sympathy for any injury caused to innocent civilians. Earlier, the Israeli military reportedly attacked a site that was claimed to be a Hamas compound, resulting in the death of two leading militants.

Nonetheless, the fatalities - occurring merely 48 hours after Israel was directed by the International Court of Justice to stop its aggressive actions in the southern region of Gaza - triggered a surge of global censure.

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, expressed his strong disapproval and anger towards the Israeli airstrikes that have resulted in the deaths of numerous individuals who had been forced to leave their homes and relocate to Rafah.

He stated on X that these actions need to cease as there are no secure zones in Rafah for Palestinian civilians. He urged the importance of complying with international laws and an instant ceasefire.

According to Guido Crosetto, the defence minister of Italy, innocent men, women, and children who have no affiliation with Hamas are being mistreated and oppressed, disregarding their rights. The Palestinian people are being forced into a difficult situation.

He stated during a TV interview that this cannot be justified any longer.

Several Arab countries, like Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, voiced their disapproval of the attack. Qatar even expressed concerns that it might impede efforts to negotiate a truce and the release of Israeli hostages who are still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza. Egypt blamed Israel for assaulting innocent civilians and called it a blatant violation of global humanitarian standards.

The UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has stated that it has received information of a large number of casualties, including women and children, as a result of a terrible occurrence. They described the incident as "horrifying". UNRWA also added that what has happened has once again proved that life in Gaza is unimaginably terrible. The images from last night only confirm that sentiment.

In the meantime, European diplomats have called on Israel to obey the ICJ's ruling. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has stated that it is widely accepted that the judgments put forth by the International Court of Justice must be adhered to and followed through.

Annalena Baerbock, the foreign minister of Germany, also made similar comments to him. José Manuel Albares, the foreign minister of Spain, added that they will meet to figure out the appropriate actions needed to implement the decision.

As per the statements of Palestinian authorities, the attack by Israel in Gaza has led to the loss of 36,000 lives and forced 1.7 million of its 2.3 million occupants to flee their homes, leaving most parts of the area in rubble and unsuitable for habitation. This offensive was initiated by Israel as a reaction to Hamas' assault on Israel on October 7, where militants reportedly caused the death of 1,200 people and held 250 hostages, according to the version provided by Israeli officials.

On Friday, the United Nations' highest judicial body instructed Israel to discontinue all military operations and any other activities in the Rafah Governorate that may cause the Palestinian population in Gaza to experience hardships that could eventually lead to their complete or partial extermination.

Israeli leaders have been saying over and over again that taking action in Rafah is vital if they want to defeat Hamas. Tzachi Hanegbi, who advises Israel on national security, said on Saturday that the phrasing of the command does not completely stop Israeli troops from carrying out operations in Rafah.

During an interview with Israel's N12 TV, he stated that they were being requested not to execute genocide in Rafah. However, he asserted that they had not committed genocide, and they do not contemplate perpetrating it.

In conformity with global laws, we possess the entitlement to safeguard ourselves, and it is apparent that the court is not impeding us from persisting in self-defense.

Israel has had a series of diplomatic setbacks over the past week. The ICJ recently made an order that added to these difficulties. Additionally, three European countries announced that they will recognize Palestine as its own state. The prosecutor at the International Criminal Court also requested arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, and Yoav Gallant, its defense minister. Along with these two, the prosecutor also sought the arrests of three Hamas leaders.

According to Borrell, it is important to acknowledge and support the efforts of the ICC. He also stood up for the prosecutor, Karim Khan, who received a lot of backlash from Israel and its supporters for his determination to obtain warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant.

Further coverage provided by Heba Saleh in the city of Cairo.