The southern Gazan city of Rafah has been described as “hell on Earth” by Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). This statement comes after an Israeli airstrike on Sunday resulted in the deaths of at least 45 people in a tent camp, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has characterized the deaths as a “tragic mistake.”
Philippe Lazzarini reported that some UNRWA staff are missing and many civilians have been injured. “Children and women living in tented plastic makeshift shelters are among the killed,” he said, adding that others were “reportedly burnt to death.” He emphasized that the recent images from Rafah depict it as “hell on Earth.”
Survivors of the strike recounted the harrowing experience. Umm Mohamed Al-Attar, a Palestinian mother, described how her family was preparing for bed when the strike hit the Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood. “We were praying… getting our children’s beds ready to sleep. There was nothing unusual, then we heard a very loud noise… fire erupted around us,” she said. “All the children started screaming… the sound was terrifying, we felt like the metal was about to collapse on us, and shrapnel fell into the rooms.”
Health officials in Gaza reported that more than half of the deceased were women, children, and elderly people. Due to the severe burns suffered by some of the injured, the death toll is expected to rise. A Red Cross field hospital in Rafah has experienced a “very high influx” of injured Palestinians. William Schomburg, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross delegation in Gaza, noted that their hospital had received patients with “horrific injuries,” including heavy shrapnel wounds, severe burns, and blast trauma injuries. He expressed concern that the hospital could become “overloaded very quickly” if Israeli operations in Rafah continue.
Despite a ruling by the top UN court on Friday ordering Israel to cease its operations in Rafah, Israel has maintained its offensive, citing the ruling’s allowance for some military action. In a speech to parliament, PM Netanyahu stated, “In Rafah, we already evacuated about one million non-combatant residents and despite our utmost effort not to harm non-combatants, something unfortunately went tragically wrong.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strike targeted “legitimate targets” using “precise munitions” and was based on “precise intelligence.” The incident is currently under review. Israel asserts that its operations aim to root out Hamas fighters and rescue hostages believed to be held in Rafah.
In a subsequent airstrike on a house in Rafah on Monday, seven more people were killed, with several others wounded, according to medics in Gaza. The United States has urged Israel to take greater care to protect civilians but has not called for a halt to the Rafah incursion. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his outrage, while German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell insisted that the International Court of Justice ruling must be respected.
