Netanyahu Vows to Continue War Amid Condemnation of Airstrikes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue the war against Hamas amid international condemnation of an airstrike that killed dozens of Palestinians in Rafah on Sunday.

At least 45 people were killed, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, while hundreds more were treated for severe burns, fractures and shrapnel injuries.

Speaking in the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu said the attack was a “tragic accident” but added: “I do not intend to end the war before all objectives have been achieved.”

He said it was vital that Israel took “all possible precautions” to protect civilians and insisted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was using its “best efforts not to harm those who are not involved” in the conflict.

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday, at Algeria’s request, to discuss the Rafah attack.

In a statement released on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the attack “killed dozens of innocent civilians who were simply seeking shelter in this deadly conflict.”

“There is no safe place in Gaza. This horror must stop,” he said.

Netanyahu’s speech was interrupted by occasional protests from family members of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, some of whom criticized him for failing to reach an agreement for the return of their loved ones.

“In Rafah we have already evacuated around a million non-combatant residents and, despite our best efforts not to harm the non-combatants, something unfortunately went tragically wrong,” he insisted.

“We are investigating the incident and will reach conclusions because this is our policy.”

International organizations lined up to condemn the attack, with the EU insisting that Israel respect an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling last week to halt attacks on Rafah. The bloc’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, called Sunday’s strike “horrible.”

Despite the ICJ ruling, Israel has vowed to continue its invasion of Rafah, with authorities insisting the decision left room for the attack to comply with international law.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the attack suggested there had been “no apparent change in the methods and means of warfare used by Israel that have already led to so many civilian deaths.”

Israel launched Sunday’s attack on Rafah, hours after Hamas’ first missile attack on Tel Aviv in several months.

IDF officials said the attack on Rafah killed two senior Hamas commanders and that it was investigating civilian deaths in the area.

But the Palestinian Red Crescent said the airstrike targeted tents for displaced people near a UN facility in Tal al-Sultan, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) northwest of the center of Rafah.

Videos of the scene in the Tal al-Sultan area on Sunday night showed a large explosion and intense fires.

Graphic images showed a series of burning structures next to a banner that read “Kuwait Peace Camp ‘1’” as well as rescuers and bystanders carrying several bodies.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Monday that one of its facilities had received at least 28 dead people, including women and children, following the strike.

It said it had treated another 180 injured Palestinians, most suffering serious shrapnel injuries, fractures, traumatic injuries and burns.

MSF rejected Israeli reports that the attack had been precise, saying that the “attack on a populated camp in the so-called ‘safe zone’ in Rafah shows complete disregard for the lives of civilians in Gaza.”

The US called the images “painful” but insisted Israel had the right to defend itself.

“Israel has the right to go after Hamas, and we understand that this attack killed two senior Hamas terrorists who are responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians,” said a White House national security spokesperson.

But they admitted that “Israel must take all possible precautions to protect civilians.”

Israeli authorities spent much of Monday struggling to figure out what went wrong in Rafah. How did a “precision strike” using specialized munitions with “reduced warheads” result in a firestorm that killed dozens and injured scores?

Following last week’s ruling by the ICJ ordering Israel to suspend any operations in the Rafah area that could cause further harm to the Palestinian population, Israel knows that the eyes of the world are on it. You are under enormous pressure to explain your actions.

It says the operation was based on intelligence and it appears both Hamas figures were killed.

But the presence of a large number of civilians and, it appears, a significant amount of flammable material, raises many questions about the way this incident was planned and executed.

With top military officials, including Major General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi, the IDF’s general defender, promising a full investigation, we can expect some sort of more detailed explanation soon.

But whether this marks a turning point in the campaign is another question.

Netanyahu remains committed to what he calls “total victory” in Rafah, so there is no sign that Sunday’s disaster will change his mind.

Despite last night’s horrific scenes, Israeli ground forces still appear to be acting with some caution as they approach the city of Rafah itself.

So far, their operations have not resulted in a bloodbath.

But that is exactly what last night’s airstrike achieved, dealing yet another blow to Israel’s already battered image and undermining its rationale for proceeding.

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began after Hamas gunmen attacked Israel on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking another 252 back to Gaza hostage.

More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war since then, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.