At least 50 displaced Palestinians were killed in the latest Israeli attack on refugee camps in the city of Rafah on Sunday night, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. This brings the overall death toll in the besieged territory to 36,000.
The massacre took place in a supposedly safe area in Tal al-Sultan, west of Rafah, where thousands of displaced people were sheltering. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that its crews transported a large number of injured and deceased victims following the attack.
Eyewitnesses stated that most of the victims were women and children. They described the scene as chaotic, with many tents completely destroyed and burned. Ambulance crews struggled to recover all the charred bodies due to the severity of the attack, which involved seven 2,000-pound Israeli bombs.
The attack followed significant losses suffered by Israeli forces in Jabalia, Rafah, and other areas, where the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, reported capturing and wounding numerous Israeli soldiers.
Hamas condemned the massacre, calling it an “egregious affront” to a recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that ordered Israel to halt its offensive against Rafah. “In light of the horrific Zionist massacre, we call on our people to rise and march against the ongoing Zionist massacre,” the Gaza-based movement said in a statement.
Hamas also blamed the U.S. administration and President Joe Biden for the attack, citing a “complete defiance and disregard” for the ICJ’s orders. They urged Egypt and the international community to pressure Israel to lift the blockade on Rafah.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad echoed Hamas’s sentiments, saying that the attacks on Rafah reflect Israel’s military failures. “The continuation of these crimes is due to the cover provided by the U.S. administration and some European governments,” the group said.
Fatah Al-Intifada Movement also issued a statement, condemning the attack as a war crime and accusing the American administration and some European countries of being complicit.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, called for international pressure on Israel. “The Gaza genocide will not easily end without external pressure: Israel must face sanctions, justice, and suspension of agreements,” she said.
Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, condemned the attack on women and children in Rafah as a “monstrous atrocity” and called for global action to stop Israel’s actions.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) expressed horror over the attacks, stating, “Gaza is hell on Earth, images from last night are yet another testament to that.”
Action Aid, an international relief organization, reported several fatalities and expressed outrage over the attacks on displaced persons’ shelters.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with ongoing violence and a severe humanitarian crisis exacerbated by the blockade and continuous military operations. The international community continues to call for urgent measures to protect civilians and ensure their safety.
