Following Israel’s deadly airstrikes near Rafah in the Gaza Strip, the US government says it is in dialogue with the Israeli military and partners on the ground to clarify the circumstances.
“The devastating images following an IDF attack in Rafah last night that killed dozens of innocent Palestinians are heartbreaking,” a State Department spokesperson said Monday.
Dozens of innocent Palestinians were killed in the attack, he told DPA.
“Israel has the right to persecute Hamas and we understand that this attack killed two senior Hamas terrorists responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians,” the spokesperson added.
But, as has already been made clear, Israel must take all possible precautions to protect civilians. We are actively engaging the IDF and partners on the ground to assess what happened and we understand that the IDF is conducting an investigation.”
According to the Palestinian health authority, the Israeli military killed at least 45 people and injured dozens of others in an airstrike on Sunday night. Most of the dead were women and minors. The incident sparked international outrage.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly described the airstrikes as a “tragic mistake.” The tragedy occurred despite Israeli efforts to prevent harm to civilians.
However, Netanyahu intends to continue the offensive on Rafah.
