Israeli Strikes Claim 21 Lives at Gaza’s Rafah Tent Camp

28, 2024, Israeli attacks targeted a tent camp housing displaced families in al-Mawasi, near Gaza’s southern city of Rafah. According to Palestinian medical officials and the official Palestinian news agency, at least 21 people lost their lives in this devastating attack.

Palestinian refugees survey the wreckage of their tents, devastated by Israeli airstrikes near a UNRWA facility in the western outskirts of Rafah city, Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Palestinian refugees assess the damage to their tents, demolished by Israeli airstrikes near a UNRWA facility to the west.According to a witness interviewed by NPR, Israeli tanks were sighted in western Rafah, located on the opposite side of the city from where the offensive commenced on May 6th. Reuters additionally reported tank sightings in the city center, where approximately 1.4 million individuals sought refuge prior to the offensive, seeking safety from the conflict in other parts of the small coastal enclave.

According to NPR’s producer in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have continued unabated. On Sunday, missiles targeted Hamas militants but inadvertently ignited an inferno at a camp for displaced Palestinians. Tragically, residents had considered this area safe. The Gaza Health Ministry reported 45 fatalities from the attack, while another 200 people were wounded. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, acknowledged the strike as a “tragic mistake.”Certainly. Here’s a revised version of the news excerpt:

The recent attack on Rafah marks the deadliest incident since Israel launched its offensive against Hamas three weeks ago. Prior to this month, Rafah had served as the last refuge for Palestinians amidst the widespread devastation in Gaza. At one point, nearly 1.3 million Palestinians sought shelter there, but the United Nations reports that over 800,000 have fled since the Israeli military intensified its ground operations.

A harrowing scene unfolded in Rafah after the attack. Witnesses described it as a charnel house, with one child decapitated and another eviscerated by shrapnel. Israel’s military claims to have used precision munitions, targeting two Hamas figures overseeing operations in the West Bank. However, the unintended harm to civilians underscores the tragic consequences of such strikes.

Sam Rose, director of planning for UNRWA (the U.N. agency responsible for Palestinian refugees), expressed deep concern. He emphasized that attacking a camp like this inevitably results in civilian casualties, leaving humanitarian workers and observers profoundly affected.

Despite evacuation orders in some areas, Rafah remains densely populated. The health ministry in Gaza now reports an overall death toll exceeding 36,000 people in the past eight months since Hamas initiated the war with a surprise attack on southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities.

The International Court of Justice issued an order for Israel to halt its offensive on Rafah, but enforcement remains challenging. Humanitarian groups warn of a crisis as aid routes are severed, and hospitals struggle to function due to power shortages. The Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah, one of the last operational facilities, lost two employees in an Israeli airstrike and is now closing down.

Tensions escalate along Gaza’s border with Egypt, where Cairo fears spillover effects could jeopardize its peace treaty with Israel—a longstanding stabilizing factor in the region. Recent clashes between Israeli and Egyptian soldiers near Rafah underscore the volatile situation.

President Biden had previously cautioned against a major offensive in Rafah, but Israel proceeded with its “limited” operation against Hamas. While the U.S. expressed deep concern over the weekend’s deadly airstrike, it does not align with the type of military action President Biden has deemed unacceptable.