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The attack, in which Israeli aircraft used missiles and 2,000-pound bombs to strike several tents in the area, has been widely condemned and described as a “massacre” by Gaza’s government media office.
The EU is reportedly considering sanctions against Israel for the first time following its latest attack on a camp for the displaced in Rafah, which killed at least 45 Palestinians, including women and children, on Sunday.
Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Martin said possible sanctions against Israel had been discussed if it continued to disregard the order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to immediately halt its invasion of Rafah, according to media reports.
“Certainly, if compliance (with the ICJ ruling) isn’t forthcoming, then we have to consider all options,” he is quoted as saying after the meeting.
‘Heinous Crime’ – Hamas Condemns Israeli Bombing of Displacement Camp in Rafah
Martin said some foreign ministers had also raised the prospect of sanctions against Israeli officials who were aiding and abetting illegal Jewish settlers in the West Bank, reported the Anadolu news agency.
He added, however, that “there is some distance between people articulating the need for a sanctions-based approach if Israel does not comply with International Court of Justice rulings, (and) obviously there is not an agreement at the EU Council level given the different perspectives there.”
A ‘Massacre’
The attack, in which Israeli aircraft used missiles and 2,000-pound bombs to strike several tents in the area, has been widely condemned and described as a “massacre” by Gaza’s government media office.
The missile strike caused a fire to spread rapidly through the camp which was supposed to be a safe zone, burning people alive. Footage showed charred bodies, as well as a man holding a beheaded baby as screams were heard all around him.
The foreign ministers of Spain, Ireland, and Norway denounced the airstrike, with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasizing the “binding” nature of the ICJ ruling.
‘Blatant Defiance of International Law’ – Israel’s Rafah Attack Condemned
At a joint press conference on Monday, Eide stressed that continuing warfare in Rafah constitutes “a breach of international law,” highlighting the need for adherence to the ICJ’s “compulsory” measures.
‘Terrorist State’
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said he was “Outraged by the Israeli strikes that have killed many displaced persons in Rafah.”
The European Union’s Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “horrified by news coming out of Rafah on Israeli strikes killing dozens of displaced persons, including small children. I condemn this in the strongest terms.”
Outraged by the Israeli strikes that have killed many displaced persons in Rafah.
These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians.
I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 27, 2024
Türkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said “This massacre, which took place after the International Court of Justice’s call to stop the attacks, once again revealed the bloody and treacherous face of the terrorist state.”
“As long as Netanyahu and his murder network cannot break the heroic resistance of the Palestinian people, they are cornered in their country and are trying to extend their political life by shedding more blood,” he added.
Over 36,000 Killed
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 36,096 Palestinians have been killed, and 81,136 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 11,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
Genocide Continues – Civilian Toll Rises as Israeli Forces Intensify Bombardment in Rafah, Gaza
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
(PC, Anadolu)
David Mencer “Don’t forget the three British citizens”…. –
We don’t forget the the three Brits (ex servicemen) that were assassinated by the IOF in three precision strikes, one after another to ensure the eradication of seven aid workers trying to deliver aid to a starving population. Neither do we forget the hundreds/thousands of non British aid workers, medics, doctors, nurses, patients in their sick beds, and the brave journalists targeted for revealing the truth or the more than 15,000 children slaughtered in unimaginable circumstances. The circumstances of 6yr old Hind Rajab and her family’s murder was imaginable. We saw her picture we heard her scared voice pleading for rescue.