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Israeli tanks reach central Rafah; Outrage over deadly tent camp strike grows [1]
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Date: 2024-06
He said the Israeli military's munitions alone “would not have ignited a fire of this scale" and suggested the possibility that weapons stored in the area the IDF was targeting might have ignited the fire. But he said that was an “assumption" at this point.
Hagari maintained that the blaze was “unexpected and unintended," echoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Monday description of the "tragic incident."
Earlier, an Israeli official told NBC News that preliminary information indicated the airstrike most likely ignited a fuel tank, causing an explosion and a fire that spread through the camp where displaced civilians were sheltering in tents, killing dozens of people, including children.
A U.S. official said that Israel told the U.S. that it used a precision munition to hit its target but that shrapnel or something else from the explosion ignited a fuel tank nearby, which started a fire, engulfing a tent and leading to many casualties.
The official added that the U.S. cannot confirm that information directly but said that “it’s what Israel shared with us — and we assume we will learn more once Israel completes its investigation.”
The Sunday strike came hours after Hamas’ military wing announced a missile barrage targeting Tel Aviv for the first time in many weeks, with the IDF saying eight projectiles were identified crossing from the Rafah area into Israeli territory.
The attack has left Israel — and its chief ally, the U.S. — increasingly isolated on the world stage.
On Tuesday the United Nations Security Council was set to convene an emergency meeting, while a trio of European countries formally recognized an independent Palestinian state. Last week the U.N.'s top court ordered Israel to halt its offensive in Rafah, citing the "immediate risk" to Palestinians.
A National Security Council spokesperson said Monday the images from the strike were heartbreaking, warning Israel of its responsibility to protect civilians in a war in which more than 36,000 people have been killed in Gaza so far, according to local health officials.
Israel launched its offensive following Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks, in which, Israeli officials said, about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 others were taken hostage in a major escalation of the decadeslong conflict.
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[1] Url:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israeli-tanks-enter-central-rafah-palestinians-tent-camp-blaze-rcna154235
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