At least 50 people have been killed and dozens more injured by an Israeli airstrike on tents for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, according to the Gaza health authorities.
The health ministry said that most of those killed and injured in Rafah were women and children, in an area where thousands of people have been instructed to take shelter in the southern region of the besieged enclave. “Numerous others were trapped in flaming debris,” said officials.
The attacks came two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its military offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population have sought shelter before Israel’s incursion earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people remain in the area while many others have fled.
Confirming the assault, the Israeli military said its air force struck a Hamas compound and that the strike was carried with “precise ammunition and on the basis of precise intelligence”.
It added: “The IDF is aware of reports indicating that as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited several civilians in the area were harmed. The incident is under review.”
The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a “tragic mishap”.
Graphic footage from the scene shared by the Gaza health ministry showed widespread destruction. The International Committee of the Red Cross said its field hospital in Rafah was receiving an influx of casualties, and that other hospitals also were taking in a large number of patients.
The airstrike hit an area just 500 metres away from a shelter run by the UN’s agency for Palestinian aid (UNRWA).
This story is from the May 28, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the May 28, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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