Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing criticism for downplaying a deadly airstrike in Gaza as a ‘tragic mishap’. The strike killed over 40 Palestinian refugees and injured hundreds more. Here are the key points:
- Israeli airstrikes hit a refugee camp in Rafah, Gaza, on Sunday night
- Over 45 people were killed, mostly civilians, including many children
- Hundreds more Palestinian refugees were wounded in the bombing
- Netanyahu called the deadly strike a ‘tragic mishap’, sparking outrage
- Critics say ‘mishap’ is disrespectful for such a devastating attack
No Safe Place in Gaza Refugee Camps
The Israeli airstrikes hit the Rafah refugee camp in southern Gaza around 9:30 pm on Sunday. The camp was densely packed with Palestinians displaced from their homes by recent fighting.
“There is nowhere else for refugees in Gaza to move to,” said Sam Rorde, a worker with the UN Palestinian refugee agency. This was an area they had been forcibly displaced to over the past months.
Rorde described hearing “constant bombardments in the area, adding nowhere in Gaza is safe for the nearly 1 million refugees displaced by violence.”
Netanyahu Calls Deadly Strike a ‘Mishap’
In comments after the bombing, Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to the devastating airstrike as a ‘tragic mishap’. His word choice sparked outrage from Palestinians and human rights groups.
“It’s really hard to describe anything like this as a mishap,” said Rode. “A mishap isn’t the kind of word you use when over 45 people have been killed and countless hundreds injured.”
The UN worker added that Netanyahu’s language sounded, deeply inappropriate and deeply disrespectful, given the high civilian death toll.
No Precision Bombing in Crowded Gaza
Netanyahu has defended Israeli strikes as precision bombing against militants. However, Rorde and other observers say there is no way to target threats in Gaza’s densely-populated refugee camps precisely.
“There’s no such thing [as precision bombing] in such a built-up, overcrowded place as Gaza,” said Rorde, “whether targeting high-rise towers in Gaza City or tented camps down in Rafah.”
“Whenever large explosives are used in a situation like this, given the cramped conditions, there will be civilian consequences,” he stated.
Countries Recognize Palestinian State
Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognized Palestine as an independent state in other developments. However, Rorde said such diplomacy would have no immediate impact on terrified Gaza refugees.
“They’re gathering up whatever belongings they have left โ jerry cans, wooden frames โ and fleeing in fear for their lives,” he described. “We’re living hour to hour right now.”
While recognizing Palestinian statehood may increase pressure to end the conflict, Rorde said “there is no real sense of when this is going to come to an end for civilians trapped in Gaza’s unfolding crisis.”
What’s Next?
The deadly strike in Rafah has sharply intensified criticism of Israel’s military operation in Gaza. However, there is still no clear path to ending the devastating violence and dislocation impacting hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees.
When will the suffering end for families trapped in the crossfire of this longstanding conflict? Only time will tell if renewed diplomacy can finally resolve one.
The screenshot is taken from – timesofisrael.com
