Days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to cease its operations in Rafah, Israel conducted an airstrike on a tent camp, resulting in the deaths of over 45 displaced individuals.
The global condemnation of this attack has led to widespread protests across Europe, while Israel’s military actions in Gaza continue unabated.
Rafah attack: Israeli military denies targeting civilians
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Israel’s military officials have defended the strike, stating that it targeted “terrorist positions” linked to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
In a statement posted on X, the Israeli military detailed that it struck a “munitions warehouse” in the Meiss el Jabal area near the Israeli border and “military buildings” in the villages of Aita al-Shaab and Khiam.
Additionally, the military reported detecting and intercepting three antitank missiles fired from Lebanon towards the Shtula area of northern Israel, with no injuries reported.
The IDF insisted that the strike in Rafah specifically targeted and killed the commander of Hamas’s West Bank headquarters and another senior member responsible for orchestrating attacks against Israel.
This action, according to the Israeli military, was aimed at crippling Hamas’s operational capabilities in the region.
Pro-Palestine protests break out across Europe
The airstrike in Rafah has sparked significant outrage and led to large-scale pro-Palestinian protests across Europe.
On Monday, about 10,000 demonstrators gathered near the Israeli embassy in Paris to express their solidarity with Gaza.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “We are all Gaza children” and “Free Gaza,” highlighting their support for the Palestinian cause and condemnation of the Israeli airstrikes.
Similar demonstrations took place in Madrid and Barcelona, where crowds gathered to denounce the violence and call for an end to the attacks.
The international community has reacted strongly to the Rafah strike, with the European Union, the United Nations, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and France all issuing condemnations and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The United States described the images from the strike as “devastating” and “heartbreaking,” and announced that an independent military body is investigating the incident.