Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military have stated that the Israeli Air Force’s attack on Rafah was not intended to harm civilians but rather to eliminate two Hamas leaders. Netanyahu described the incident as a “tragic mistake” and emphasized that an investigation is underway.
Hamas reported on Monday (May 27) that the Israeli airstrike on Rafah caused a massive fire, leading to the deaths of 45 people in a tent camp.
During a speech in parliament, Netanyahu stressed that the attack was not intended to cause civilian casualties. He mentioned that approximately one million non-combatant residents had been evacuated in Rafah, and despite efforts to avoid harming non-combatants, a tragic mistake occurred. He added that a thorough investigation is being conducted, consistent with their policy.
A spokesperson for the Biden administration’s National Security Council issued a statement on Monday condemning the Israeli Defense Forces’ attack on Rafah, stating that it resulted in the deaths of dozens of innocent Palestinians and heartbreaking scenes.
The statement acknowledged Israel’s right to target Hamas but highlighted the need for Israel to take all possible precautions to prevent civilian casualties. The spokesperson affirmed ongoing engagement with the Israeli Defense Forces and local partners to assess the situation.
Prior to the airstrike, Israel intercepted 8 rockets fired from the Rafah area into Israel.
The Israeli military explained that they took measures to minimize risks to non-combatant civilians in the attack, including aerial reconnaissance, precise ammunition usage, and intelligence gathering to ensure no harm to civilians unrelated to the conflict.
The military clarified that the strike did not occur in the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, where civilians had been encouraged to evacuate.
The attack was launched based on intelligence regarding the presence of Hamas senior commanders Yassin Rabia and Khaled Najjar in the area.
Israel also refuted claims of using heavy explosives, stating that such allegations of using one-ton explosives in the attack were incorrect. The strike reportedly utilized specialized small striking ammunition designed for such targets.
An independent entity responsible for reviewing special events during combat is investigating the incident to understand the civilian casualties.
The Hamas health department reported approximately 45 fatalities and dozens injured in the attack. However, Hamas’s death toll does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, leading some statisticians to question the reliability of the numbers.
In a statement, Hamas admitted to attacking Israeli cities in retaliation for the recent assault, claiming it was in response to civilian casualties caused by Jewish nationalism.
The Sunday attack prompted strong condemnations from the EU, UN, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Canada, and others, urging Israel to immediately cease hostilities in Gaza.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry in the West Bank criticized the incident as a “horrific massacre.”
Israel expressed intentions to root out hidden Hamas fighters in Rafah and rescue hostages detained in the area.