An airstrike launched into Rafah by Israel is under review following a fire that broke out, spreading to a nearby camp, resulting in civilian casualties.
(PLGNN) - In southern Gaza, in the city of Rafah, dozens were killed late Sunday night following an Israeli airstrike that caused a fire to break out across a camp for displaced Palestinians.
The IDF said in a statement that the attack was conducted on "prior intelligence" indicating that senior members of terrorist group Hamas were located at the site of the airstrike. The Israeli Military said in a statement Monday that it had struck "a compound in Rafah which significant Hamas terrorists were operating." They claimed that the strike had killed two Hamas officials - West Bank Chief of Staff Yassin Rabia and senior Hamas member Khaled Nagar. PLGNN is unable to verify the claims.
A US official told CNN that Israel told the Biden Administration it had used a precision munition to hit the target in Rafah, with the explosion from the strike igniting a nearby fuel tank that then started the fire that spread to the camp.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, at least 45 people were killed and over 200 injured following a fire that broke out across the camp following the airstrike. Images shared on social media showed a fire violently tearing across the camp, with disturbing images of burnt corpses along with bodies being pulled from the wreckage by rescuers. Perhaps the most disturbing of all, an image of a man holding a small child who appears to be headless. PLGNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of these images.
Hamas described the strike as a horrific "massacre". They did not confirm or deny the death of their officials.
The airstrike was widely condemned, with the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) said the images shown from Rafah show Gaza is "Hell on Earth". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would do "everything possible" to hold "barbaric" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for the strikes. Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the strikes are a "material breach of the decision of the highest court in the world", which is referencing the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to halt its entering of Rafah. Ireland's Foreign Minister Michael Martin described the attacks as "barbaric". Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the Rafah bombing was "one more day with innocent Palestinian civilians being killed".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech that, "Despite our best effort not to harm those not involved, unfortunately a tragic mistake happened last night. We are investigating the case."
Since the October 7th surprise attacks on Israel, over 1,200 Israelis and 36,000 Palestinians have been killed due to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. PLGNN is unable to independently verify the death toll of Palestinians and relies on the Gaza Health Ministry's given number.
(PLGNN) - In southern Gaza, in the city of Rafah, dozens were killed late Sunday night following an Israeli airstrike that caused a fire to break out across a camp for displaced Palestinians.
The IDF said in a statement that the attack was conducted on "prior intelligence" indicating that senior members of terrorist group Hamas were located at the site of the airstrike. The Israeli Military said in a statement Monday that it had struck "a compound in Rafah which significant Hamas terrorists were operating." They claimed that the strike had killed two Hamas officials - West Bank Chief of Staff Yassin Rabia and senior Hamas member Khaled Nagar. PLGNN is unable to verify the claims.
A US official told CNN that Israel told the Biden Administration it had used a precision munition to hit the target in Rafah, with the explosion from the strike igniting a nearby fuel tank that then started the fire that spread to the camp.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, at least 45 people were killed and over 200 injured following a fire that broke out across the camp following the airstrike. Images shared on social media showed a fire violently tearing across the camp, with disturbing images of burnt corpses along with bodies being pulled from the wreckage by rescuers. Perhaps the most disturbing of all, an image of a man holding a small child who appears to be headless. PLGNN cannot independently verify the authenticity of these images.
Hamas described the strike as a horrific "massacre". They did not confirm or deny the death of their officials.
The airstrike was widely condemned, with the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) said the images shown from Rafah show Gaza is "Hell on Earth". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would do "everything possible" to hold "barbaric" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for the strikes. Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the strikes are a "material breach of the decision of the highest court in the world", which is referencing the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to halt its entering of Rafah. Ireland's Foreign Minister Michael Martin described the attacks as "barbaric". Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the Rafah bombing was "one more day with innocent Palestinian civilians being killed".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a speech that, "Despite our best effort not to harm those not involved, unfortunately a tragic mistake happened last night. We are investigating the case."
Since the October 7th surprise attacks on Israel, over 1,200 Israelis and 36,000 Palestinians have been killed due to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. PLGNN is unable to independently verify the death toll of Palestinians and relies on the Gaza Health Ministry's given number.
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