Netanyahu vows to continue his War against Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to persist in the war against Hamas following international outcry over an airstrike in Rafah that killed at least 45 Palestinians on Sunday. The strike, which left hundreds more injured with severe burns, fractures, and shrapnel wounds, has been described by Netanyahu as a “tragic mishap.”

Addressing the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu stated, “I don’t intend to end the war before every goal has been achieved,” while emphasizing the importance of taking “every precaution possible” to protect civilians.

He insisted that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are making their “best efforts not to harm those uninvolved” in the conflict.

The United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday at Algeria’s request to discuss the Rafah strike.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack, stating it had “killed scores of innocent civilians who were only seeking shelter from this deadly conflict” and called for an end to the horror in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s speech was interrupted by heckles from family members of hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, some of whom have criticized him for not securing the return of their loved ones.

Netanyahu responded by acknowledging the evacuation of about one million non-combatant residents in Rafah and the ongoing investigation into the incident.

International organizations have condemned the strike, with the EU urging Israel to respect an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling to halt strikes on Rafah. The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, labeled Sunday’s strike as “horrifying.”

Despite the ICJ ruling, Israeli officials maintain that their actions comply with international law and intend to continue the invasion of Rafah.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk noted that the attack indicated;

“no apparent change in the methods and means of warfare used by Israel that have already led to so many civilian deaths.”

The Rafah airstrike was launched hours after Hamas fired missiles at Tel Aviv for the first time in several months.

IDF officials reported that the Rafah strike killed two senior Hamas commanders and stated they are investigating civilian casualties.

However, the Palestinian Red Crescent claimed the airstrike targeted tents for displaced people near a UN facility in Tal al-Sultan, around 2 km northwest of Rafah’s center. Videos from the scene showed a large explosion, intense fires, and graphic images of the aftermath.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that one of its facilities received at least 28 bodies, including women and children, and treated 180 wounded individuals, mostly with serious shrapnel wounds, fractures, traumatic injuries, and burns. MSF criticized the precision of the strike, asserting it showed a “complete disregard for the lives of civilians in Gaza.”

The United States described the images as “heartbreaking” but affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself.

A White House national security spokesperson acknowledged the strike’s success in killing two senior Hamas terrorists responsible for attacks on Israeli civilians but emphasized the need for Israel to take every possible precaution to protect civilians.