UN Security Council Emergency Session Following Devastating Rafah Strike

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The UN Security Council is poised to hold an emergency session on Tuesday to address the recent Israeli airstrike in Rafah that reportedly killed dozens, including individuals in a displaced persons camp. This operation targeted senior Hamas operatives but tragically resulted in a fire that claimed 45 lives, according to health officials in Gaza. The incident has ignited substantial international condemnation, with numerous voices referring to it as a “massacre.”

 

The attack, which took place overnight, aimed at two senior Hamas members in the southern Gaza border city. However, the strike also caused a fire that spread to a nearby displacement center, resulting in significant casualties. Early Tuesday, AFP journalists reported additional Israeli strikes in the same area.

 

The global response to the Rafah strike has been one of profound outrage and condemnation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced a strong rebuke of the violence, emphasizing the perilous situation in Gaza. "There is no safe place in Gaza. This horror must stop," Guterres posted on social media. UN Humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths echoed this sentiment, criticizing the attack and underscoring the predictable nature of civilian casualties in such operations. "We’ve seen the consequences in last night’s utterly unacceptable attack," Griffiths stated. "To call it ‘a mistake’ is a message that means nothing for those killed, those grieving, and those trying to save lives."

 

European leaders have also expressed their dismay. The EU’s foreign policy chief was "horrified by news" of the strike, while French President Emmanuel Macron said he was "outraged." A US National Security Council spokesperson underscored that Israel "must take every precaution possible to protect civilians."  The Israeli military has announced it is launching a probe into the incident. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset, noting, "The deaths occurred despite our best efforts to protect civilians."

 

The emergency session of the UN Security Council, initiated by Algeria, will address the Rafah strike's ramifications and discuss potential responses. 

UN Security Council to convene over deadly Rafah strike

'They happened to be in Rafah, and that's where they were struck, and now there's a convergence of two separate events' Maj. (res.) Elliot Chodoff says pic.twitter.com/bZ1tTVZBqk

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) May 28, 2024

 

The deadly Rafah strike occurred after a barrage of rockets was fired by Hamas at the Tel Aviv area. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that their aircraft targeted a Hamas compound in the city, resulting in the deaths of two senior Hamas operatives, Yassin Rabia and Khaled Nagar. According to the IDF, Rafah houses significant Hamas battalions and is considered a key stronghold for the group.

 

Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that the strike ignited a fire near a facility of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, affecting a displacement center in northwestern Rafah. Israeli officials have informed the US that they believe the fire was caused by shrapnel igniting a fuel tank located approximately 100 meters from the area targeted in the airstrike. The US has stated it has no way to validate or reject Israel’s version of events and is awaiting the outcome of the Israeli investigation.

 

Credit: Times of Israel 2024-05-28

 

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