“Despite our utmost effort not to harm non-combatants, something unfortunately went tragically wrong.” Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israeli Knesset. “In Rafah, we have already evacuated about one million non-combatants residents. We are investigating the incident and will reach conclusions because this is our policy.”
Netanyahu’s words were cold comfort for Palestinians like Jamal al-Attar, who has been displaced at least seven times in the Gaza Strip since Israel started its air strikes in October. “The occupation told us that this area is safe and that we could stay here because it is a safe zone. We set up our tents and stayed, but there is no safe area here in the Gaza Strip. The place where we stayed was targeted,” said Jamal.
Talal Saeed Salman has also been displaced eight times. “Where are we to go?,” he asks helplessly. “I only have children with me, I have no one to stand with me and help me – they’re all children. What am I supposed to do? His family was first displaced from north Gaza and has subsequently been forced to move multiple times after Israel continued with its military strikes. “Where am I to go, tell me. And for how long (will this go on)? They (referring to the Israelis) should pinpoint a place for us, and tell us to live or die there – this (way) does not work – how long will we be disgraced like this for?”, Salman asks in desperation.
ISRAEL: STRIKE NOT INTENDED TO CAUSE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES
At least 45 people are dead after a massive fire was triggered following an air strike by Israel in west Rafah. Reports say the fire could have been triggered from shrapnel from the strike hitting a tank near the tent camp. Israel says the strike was not intended to cause civilian casualties and Times of Israel has reported that the army was acting on specific intelligence that senior Hamas commanders Yassin Rabia and Khaled Najjar were in the area. Israel claims the airstrike killed Hamas’ chief of staff for the West Bank and another senior official behind deadly attacks on Israelis.
The tent camp, where hundreds were sheltering, was in flames as people ran through the chaos to look for signs of life in the rubble on Sunday night. The morning after, the smouldering remains were the only sign left of what had been a tent camp.
Many of those taking shelter had recently moved to the Tel Al-Sultan neighbourhood in western Rafah from east Rafah after Israel asked them to vacate ahead of its ground offensive that started two weeks ago.
GLOBAL CONDEMNATION FOR ISRAELI STRIKE
The European Union to nations like Canada, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia have issued strong condemnations of the strike. A top UN court ordered Israel to stop its Rafah offensive last Friday. The UN chief has reiterated again – There is no safe place in Gaza
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets of New York to raise their voice against the deaths in the tent camp fire.
Similar protest marches were held in Tunis, Paris, Beirut, Barcelona and Madrid
In Paris, protesters clashed with the police and police used tear gas to disperse the crowds
