UN agency calls Gaza ‘hell on earth’ after deadly Israeli airstrike in Rafah

The U.N. company for Palestinian refugees described the scenario in Gaza as “hell on earth” Monday, following an Israeli assault within the southern metropolis of Rafah that Gaza’s well being ministry mentioned killed no less than 45 folks.

“Info popping out of Rafah about additional assaults on households searching for shelter is horrifying,” UNRWA mentioned. “There are reviews of mass casualties together with kids and ladies amongst these killed.”

Israel’s army mentioned it was reviewing an incident in Rafah following reviews that an Israeli assault Sunday that it says killed two senior Hamas officers additionally set off a hearth.

The Gaza well being ministry mentioned the assault ignited tents in an space sheltering displaced folks, and that along with the lifeless, dozens of individuals have been injured.

The Israeli army described its assault as a exact airstrike that killed Yassin Rabia, the Hamas chief of workers for the West Financial institution.

Qatar’s overseas ministry mentioned Monday the assault may complicate efforts to mediate a cease-fire and the return of hostages held in Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron referred to as for a direct cease-fire and “full respect for worldwide regulation.”

“Outraged by the Israeli strikes which have killed many displaced individuals in Rafah,” Macron mentioned on social media. “These operations should cease. There aren’t any protected areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians.”

European Union overseas coverage chief Josep Borrell cited the assault and mentioned Monday the worldwide neighborhood faces the dilemma of the way it can “implement implementation” of final week’s Worldwide Court docket of Justice order calling on Israel to right away halt its offensive in Rafah.

The ICJ is a department of the United Nations however has no mechanism to implement its orders.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed Israel is not going to go away Gaza till any remaining Hamas management of the territory is ended. He says Israel should take over Rafah to eradicate Hamas’s battalions there and obtain its objective of “whole victory” over the militants, who’ve just lately regrouped in different components of Gaza the place the Israeli army had beforehand taken management.

Hamas mentioned Sunday it launched a “giant rocket barrage” focusing on Israel’s industrial hub of Tel Aviv.

Air raid sirens blared in the course of the assault, however Israel mentioned there have been no quick reviews of casualties or harm. It was the primary long-range rocket assault from Gaza since January, though rockets and mortar rounds have been fired at Israel from alongside the Gaza border since then. Within the newest assault, rocket launches could possibly be heard from central Gaza.

Hamas’ Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades mentioned in a publish on Telegram that it had focused Tel Aviv “with a big rocket barrage in response to the Zionist massacres towards civilians.”

The Israeli army mentioned eight projectiles crossed into Israel after being launched from close to Rafah, the place Israeli forces just lately launched an incursion. Israel mentioned “a quantity” of the projectiles have been intercepted.

Humanitarian help

U.N. Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres welcomed the passage of humanitarian help and gasoline via the Kerem Shalom crossing, whereas stressing the necessity for civilians to be protected and their wants for entry to meals, water and shelter to be met.

“With the humanitarian operation close to collapse, the Secretary-Normal emphasizes that the Israeli authorities should facilitate the protected pickup and supply of humanitarian provides from Egypt getting into Kerem Shalom to these in want,” Guterres spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric mentioned in an announcement.

The help vans crossed into Gaza from southern Israel via a brand new settlement to bypass the Rafah crossing with Egypt after Israeli forces seized the Palestinian facet of it earlier in Might.

Egypt has refused to reopen its facet of the Rafah crossing till management of the Gaza facet is handed again to the Palestinians. It agreed to briefly divert site visitors via Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza’s primary cargo terminal, after a name between U.S. President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.

That crossing has been largely inaccessible due to preventing linked to Israel’s offensive within the close by metropolis of Rafah. Israel says it has allowed a whole lot of vans to enter, however United Nations companies say it’s often too harmful to retrieve the help on the opposite facet.

The Israel-Hamas struggle was triggered by the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel that killed 1,200 folks in response to Israeli officers and led to the seize of about 250 hostages. Israel’s subsequent counteroffensive has killed greater than 36,000 Palestinians, a loss of life toll that features each civilians and combatants, in response to Gaza’s well being ministry.

Some materials on this report got here from The Related Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.