Israel is increasing its airstrikes on Rafah today, despite international outrage over the deadly bombing of a crowded displaced persons camp in the city, which led to an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in that area of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Spain, Norway, and Ireland will officially recognize the state of Palestine today during a press conference in Brussels, as announced last week, provoking an angry reaction from the Israeli government.
On the ground, teams from Agence France-Presse in the city reported early in the morning that new bombings were launched in central and western Rafah, at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army has been conducting ground operations since early May.
The new airstrikes were launched amid international outcry and condemnations of the bombing of the displaced persons camp on Sunday night, which killed 45 people and injured another 249, according to the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip, as it caused a fire that spread to tents.
An Israeli airstrike triggered a fire that killed at least 45 people in a tent camp in Rafah, prompting an outcry from global leaders who urged the implementation of a World Court order to halt Israel’s assault https://t.co/XI1bWdBzwN pic.twitter.com/KWyA9CtFeH
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 27, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the bombing as a “tragic accident.”
The Israeli military stated that it is conducting an investigation into the civilian deaths, after initially announcing that it targeted two Hamas officials with “precision munitions.”
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The US government called on its ally, Israel, to “take all precautions to protect civilians,” while Canadian diplomacy expressed “horror,” and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed “outrage.”
Around 10,000 people gathered near the Israeli embassy in the French capital to protest the bombing. The dense crowd held Palestinian flags, banners, and placards with slogans such as “You don’t kill a child, neither Israeli nor Palestinian,” “Stop the bombings, freedom for Palestine,” according to AFP.
Emergency Security Council Session
“I condemn Israel’s actions that killed dozens of innocent civilians who were simply seeking protection from this deadly war. There is no safe place in Gaza. This horror must stop,” stated UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
The UN Security Council has been called to hold an emergency meeting this afternoon (New York time), according to diplomatic sources.
