A Palestinian child plays with rubble after Israel bombed Palestinian tents and shelters in Rafah, Gaza on May 27, 2024. Israeli planes bombed tents of displaced Palestinians living nearby warehouses of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Rafah and killed at least 30 Palestinians, including children, according to the Gaza media office.
Hani Alshaer | Anadolu | beautiful images
Global leaders expressed shock and outrage at Israel’s military attack on the southern Gazan city of Rafah that left more than 45 people, including children, dead Sunday night at a camp tents for displaced Palestinian refugees.
The Israel Defense Forces initially said it used “precision munitions” and “intelligence” to target two senior Hamas leaders in the area. They added that they were currently investigating the event, after reports emerged that the strike had caused a fire that engulfed the camp, leaving shelters destroyed and charred bodies found. images flooded social networks.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed anger in a post on social media platform X, saying he was “outraged by the Israeli attacks that killed many displaced people in Rafah.”
“These activities must stop. There is no safe zone in Rafah for Palestinian civilians,” Macron’s post read, adding: “I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire news.”
“The Palestinian people are being oppressed without regard for the rights of innocent men, women and children who have nothing to do with Hamas,” Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said. He further emphasized that “this can no longer be justified”.
Meanwhile, the US called the images of the attack “devastating” and “heartbreaking”, but refused Rafah’s request to stop operations.
A spokesman for the National Security Council said: “Israel has the right to pursue Hamas and we understand that this attack killed two senior Hamas terrorists who were responsible for the attacks.” attacks against Israeli civilians.” “But as we have made clear, Israel must take every possible precaution to protect civilians.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as a tragic mistake.
“In Rafah, we evacuated about one million non-combatant residents and despite our best efforts not to harm non-combatants, unfortunately a tragic incident occurred,” he said in speech before the Israeli parliament, amid angry shouts from opposition lawmakers, according to a Reuters translation.
The attack came two days after the International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ top court, ordered Israel to “immediately halt” its military offensive in Rafah, citing the “disastrous” humanitarian situation. cruel”.
The court has no mechanism to directly enforce its orders. According to local witnesses quoted by Reuters, just a day after the ICJ ruling, Israeli air strikes hit many areas in Rafah, and on Tuesday, Israeli tanks advanced towards the city center. Rafah street.
