After the air strike near Rafah, Arab states accuse Israel of hitting a tent camp for refugees. Israel, on the other hand, says it was a precision strike against Hamas fighters. The German government assumes that it was a mistake.
Several Arab states have strongly condemned the bombing of a camp near Rafah. The Israeli military carried out an air strike near Rafah yesterday. According to the Red Crescent, a tent camp of refugee civilians was hit.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, at least 45 people were killed.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry called the attack a “deliberate bombing of the refugees’ tents” and spoke of a “new and blatant violation of international law.” Jordan’s Foreign Ministry described the latest attack as a “heinous war crime by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip.”
The mediating state of Qatar expressed concern that the attack could hinder efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war. The Foreign Ministry in Doha called on the international community to take urgent measures to prevent the “crime of genocide.” Similar harsh words came from Kuwait. The Foreign Ministry there condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also spoke out. He assured that his country would do “everything in its power” to hold the Israeli government accountable. He spoke of a “massacre”.
Israel speaks of Precision strike
The Israeli military confirmed on Platform X that there had been an air strike on a compound belonging to the Islamist Hamas. In addition to Yassin Rabia, the mastermind behind the Islamist organization’s terrorist activities in the West Bank, high-ranking Hamas member Khaled Nagar was also killed.
The military said the airstrike was carried out in accordance with international law. According to an Israeli government spokesman, the first results of an investigation show that the airstrike started a fire that killed Palestinian civilians. Israel’s chief military lawyer, Major General Jifat Tomer-Jeruschalmi, said of the allegations: “Some of the incidents – like the one in Rafah yesterday – are very serious.”
Increasing accusations against Israel
French President Emmanuel Macron reacted angrily to the Israeli air strike in Rafah. “These operations must stop,” he wrote on X. “There are no safe zones for Palestinian civilians in Rafah.”
Macron called for an immediate ceasefire and full compliance with international law. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused Israel on X of continuing its military actions contrary to the order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
On Friday, the ICJ ordered Israel to immediately end the military operation in Rafah. Decisions of the World Court are binding. However, the UN judges have no power to force a state to implement them.
The German government believes that the Israeli air strike on Rafah was a mistake. “In any case, a mistake was made, that much can be said now,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. The German government wants to wait for the result of the Israeli investigation into the incident.
With regard to current developments in the Middle East, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressed the importance of international law: “There were more rockets fired at Tel Aviv by Hamas, and at the same time we see that it is no gain for Israel’s security – that no hostage is released – if people are now burning in tents,” said Baerbock.
“International law, humanitarian law, applies to everyone,” Baerbock continued. Decisions of the International Court of Justice are also binding and must of course be followed, said Baerbock. But we are experiencing exactly the opposite.
Internal investigations in 70 cases
Regardless of the latest allegations, according to the chief military prosecutor, Israel has opened investigations into 70 cases against Israeli soldiers since the Gaza war began almost eight months ago. These involve alleged offenses such as looting, violence and the death of prisoners from Gaza, said Major General Tomer-Jeruschalmi. Israel is fighting against enemies who do not care about the laws of war, said the lawyer.
She rejected the accusation of starvation of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip as well as the accusation of the deliberate killing of civilians. “In war, incidents also occur that raise suspicions of violations of the laws of war and military orders,” said Tomer-Jeruschalmi. However, these are exceptions. They are the actions of individuals that are contrary to the values of the Israeli army. However, they cause serious strategic damage to the international reputation of the State of Israel and its army.
Germany increases aid
Meanwhile, Germany is increasing its humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip by around 39 million euros. As the dpa news agency learned from delegation circles, the money is intended in particular to be used for emergency health aid in Gaza and to combat disease outbreaks such as cholera.