Israeli PM acknowledges tragic mistake in deadly Rafah strike

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday admitted that the Israeli military had made a tragic mistake or mishap in a speech to the Israeli Knesset or parliament. The attack killed and injured a large number of people, the Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service said Sunday. At least 45 people, including many women and children, were killed, according to reports that cited numbers from the Red Crescent and the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Netanyahu said the civilian deaths occurred despite Israel’s best efforts and that a conclusive report would follow an investigation into the matter.

What do the Israel Defense Forces have to say about this? The IDF on Sunday said they were investigating reports that civilians were harmed by a fire caused by an Israeli missile strike on Rafah. The military said it had attacked legitimate targets, and the strike was valid under international law.

Later, the IDF reported that the attack killed two key Hamas officials. One of the officials was Yassin Rabia, Hamas’ chief of staff, who managed all of Hamas’ military infrastructure in the West Bank, according to the IDF. He had also directed attacks that were responsible for the loss of Israeli soldiers.

What has the international community had to say about this? United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described the strike as horrific. The fire following the strike reportedly spread to a camp for displaced people in Rafah, according to the UN.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report in The Sift about how the United Nations’ high court has ordered Israel to stop its military operations in Gaza.