Israel Denies Responsibility for Rafah Camp Massacre: Here Are the Facts

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thirteen of the 21 people killed by Israeli airstrikes in the so-called "safe area" in al-Mawasi were civilian women and girls, Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary reported on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

This was the second attack since Sunday, with a horrific strike on Sunday evening where displaced people’s shelters were set ablaze not far from Tuesday's attack.

As reports shed more light on what happened on Tuesday, here are the details of Sunday's attack:

When and where did this attack occur?

The attack occurred on the evening of May 26, at a temporary shelter camp north of the city of Rafah, in an area called Tal as-Sultan. The strike came after United States President Joe Biden said that a "major offensive" by Israel on Rafah would be a red line.

What transpired?

Many shelters burned with their occupants still inside. The Gaza Government Media Office said that Israel dropped seven bombs weighing 900 kilograms as well as missiles on the displacement camp. The Israeli army denied responsibility, saying that they targeted Rafah with "precision munitions", and that a nearby fuel tank caused the ensuing fire.

Horrifying videos emerged in the aftermath; the most notable was of a man holding the headless corpse of a small child.

Al Jazeera's Sanad Verification Agency managed to obtain images of fragments believed to be the weaponry used in this attack. Photos obtained by the agency show the tail of a GBU-39/B small-diameter bomb, made by Boeing. The GBU-39/B has a jet engine taken from the M26 unguided missile.

Who were killed and how many?

Thousands of civilians have been sheltering in the Tal as-Sultan area, seeking minimal protection from ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza. At the time of the attack, the Israeli government has not issued an order to evacuate the area.

Israel killed at least 45 people in the attack. The total number of the wounded was difficult to determine, as the hospital where the victims were taken had been closed after a subsequent Israeli drone strike at the entrance killed two staff members.

How did they die?

Several people died as a result of the impact of the bomb. Several people were "reportedly burned to death", according to Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Reports from Rafah said that many of those killed were preparing for bed when the attack occurred.

Why is Israel doing this?

Initially, the Israeli army claimed that they had attacked "a Hamas compound in Rafah in which significant Hamas terrorists were operating". They added that they were "aware of reports indicating that as a result of the strike and fire that was ignited several civilians in the area were harmed".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was a "tragic mistake." "Despite our best effort not to harm those not involved, unfortunately a tragic error happened last night. We are investigating the case," Netanyahu said.

The attack came two days after the ICJ ordered Israel to stop its attack on Rafah.

Is the international community going to do anything?

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an emergency meeting regarding the attack on Rafah. The United States has vetoed every UNSC proposal aimed at holding Israel accountable thus far.

AL JAZEERA

Editor’s Choice: Palestinian Resistance: 8 Brigades That Fight Against Israeli Occupation in Gaza

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News