As Israeli missiles struck the encampment overnight, a fire swiftly engulfed the area, destroying the camp and claiming the lives of at least 45 individuals, as reported by Gaza officials. 

Amidst the chaos, medics tried to aid the injured and handle the deceased, but reports emerged of an Israeli drone strike targeting the hospital’s entrance, resulting in the deaths of two staff members.

The Wafa news agency, referencing the Palestine Red Crescent Society, stated that among the casualties were women and children, with many tragically perishing in the flames inside their tents. 

Witness accounts at the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah described a harrowing scene where the intense heat caused tents and even bodies to melt following the attack.

Upon arrival at the site, Dr. Muhammad al-Mughayer of the Palestinian Civil Defence encountered ongoing fires of considerable magnitude, still spreading uncontrollably. He noted that a majority of the deceased had sustained severe burns.

As al-Mughayer and his team worked tirelessly to rescue survivors and recover bodies, they encountered horrific sights of charred remains and individuals maimed by the explosion. 

The Wafa news agency, quoting the PRCS, reiterated that many victims had suffered the unimaginable fate of being burned alive within their shelters.

Israel’s Feeble Response

According to the Israeli military, the attack utilized high-precision munitions, targeting a Hamas compound in Rafah based on precise intelligence. Besides the civilian casualties, the military claimed to have eliminated Hamas’s chief of staff for the West Bank and another senior official.

In response to reports of civilian harm, the Israeli army acknowledged its awareness but provided no further details. 

A review later revealed that displaced Palestinians in the camp had not received evacuation orders from the Israeli military.

Satellite imagery analyzed indicated that the shelter where the attack occurred was established in January, coinciding with the influx of hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals from various parts of the Gaza Strip.

In response to the incident, Israel’s top military prosecutor characterized the attack as “very grave” and pledged to conduct a thorough investigation. 

Major-General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi stated that the details of the incident are still being investigated, emphasizing the Israeli army’s regret for any harm inflicted on non-combatants during the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the incident as a “tragic mistake” in a speech to Israel’s parliament. He assured that an investigation would be carried out to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack, affirming it as Israeli policy to avoid harming innocent civilians.

The Horrific Fire And The Aftermath

Many of those who sought refuge from the conflict in Tal as-Sultan now find themselves in deep distress.

Back at the Kuwaiti Hospital, amidst the chaotic scene of injured individuals and the frantic efforts of medical staff, a man lies on a hospital bed, displaying an eerie sense of calm despite his injuries. 

His right leg, tightly bandaged after being wounded in the attack, is propped up as he scrolls through his phone, while children in pain writhe on beds nearby.

“Just an hour before the attack, we were walking around. Then suddenly, there was an explosion… and I couldn’t comprehend anything,” he recounted, explaining that he, his brother, and his son were all injured in the airstrike. “I noticed my leg was injured… but I didn’t realize how serious it was.”

Like many Palestinians, this man has experienced displacement multiple times during the war in the besieged strip. He also lost one of his brothers during the near-eight-month conflict. 

“What we’ve endured is incredibly difficult, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” he lamented.

As he speaks, a friend rushes to his side, exclaiming, “They were burned! All of them were burned! What more can I say?” with frustration evident in his gestures.

“The missiles descended, exploded, and everyone was engulfed in flames.”

Israel’s Attack on Rafah Tent Camp Draws Widespread Condemnation

The Israeli air attack on tents sheltering displaced individuals in Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah has drawn condemnation from several countries and global organizations. 

The assault resulted in the deaths of at least 40 Palestinians, including numerous children.

The Palestinian presidency issued a statement denouncing the attack as a “heinous massacre” perpetrated by Israeli occupation forces. They accused Israeli forces of intentionally targeting the tents housing displaced people, challenging the legitimacy of international resolutions.

Likewise, the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency also condemned the attack, describing the images from Rafah as further evidence of Gaza’s dire humanitarian situation, labeling it “hell on earth.”

‘Deliberate bombardment’

Qatar condemned the Rafah attack as a grave violation of international laws that will aggravate the humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip. 

It said the attack could hinder mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Qatar, alongside the US and Egypt, has been engaged in months of talks aimed at securing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Egypt condemned the “deliberate bombardment”. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Israel to “implement the measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning an immediate cessation of military operations” in Rafah.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would do “everything possible” to hold “barbaric” Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to account over the deadly strikes. “We will do everything possible to hold these barbarians and murderers accountable who have nothing to do with humanity,” he said.

Spain‘s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the bombing of Rafah was “one more day with innocent Palestinian civilians being killed”. He said the gravity of the attack “is even larger” because it comes after the ICJ order directing Israel to halt its operation in Rafah and the rest of Gaza.

Ireland‘s Foreign Minister Micheal Martin described the attack as “barbaric”. “One cannot bomb an area like that without shocking consequences in terms of innocent children and civilians. We would urge Israel to stop, to stop now, in terms of the military operation in Rafah.”

Norway‘s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the attacks are a “material breach of the decision of the highest court of the world”. He added: “We’ve had a compulsory order from the International Court of Justice ordering Israel to stop its attack in Rafah. It is compulsory. It’s binding.”

The European Union‘s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Israel must abide by the ICJ ruling to stop its offensive in Rafah as EU foreign ministers met their Arab counterparts in Brussels hours after Israel’s deadly attack on Rafah.

‘Children dismembered, burnt alive’

Humza Yousaf, the former first minister of Scotland, posted on X: “Days after the ICJ orders Israel to halt its military offensive in Rafah, the Israeli Government bombs displaced people living in tents. Innocent men, women & children dismembered and burnt alive. Bear witness to the images and ask yourself, are you on the right side of history?”

In one of the strongest criticisms Italy has made so far, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the Israeli attacks were no longer justifiable. 

“There is an increasingly difficult situation, in which the Palestinian people are being squeezed without regard for the rights of innocent men, women and children who have nothing to do with Hamas and this can no longer be justified,” he said. “We are watching the situation with despair.”

French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged”. “These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians,” he said on X.

Saudi Arabia said it “condemns in the strongest terms the continued massacres” carried out by Israeli forces in Gaza. It “affirmed its categorical rejection of the continued flagrant violations by the Israeli occupation forces of all international and humanitarian resolutions, laws, and norms”.

The United Arab Emirates also “denounced the ongoing Israeli violations in the Gaza Strip”, and called for an immediate ceasefire.

The United States urged Israel to take every precaution to protect civilians after “devastating images” from Rafah. 

A National Security Council spokesperson said the US is “actively engaging the IDF and partners on the ground to assess what happened, and understand that the IDF is conducting an investigation”.