close
close

Netanyahu: Israel investigates deadly “incident” at Rafah

prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is investigating “an incident” in which numerous civilians were killed by Israeli air strikes near the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

“In Rafah, we have evacuated about a million civilians,” Netanyahu said on Monday in a speech to the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem.

“Tragically, despite our immense efforts to avoid harm to civilians, an incident occurred yesterday. We are investigating it thoroughly and will learn from it, as is our policy and long-standing conduct.”

“For us, any harm inflicted on a civilian is a tragedy, for Hamas it is a strategy,” Netanyahu said. “That is the key difference.”

The Hamas-run health authority in the Gaza Strip said 45 people were killed and dozens injured in an airstrike on tents housing displaced people on Sunday.

Most of the victims of the airstrike were women and children, the health authority said, describing the incident as a “massacre.”

Palestinians inspect their destroyed tents after an Israeli airstrike that left many dead and injured in the Al-Mawasi area, which was bombarded with numerous rockets on the tents of the displaced people west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpaPalestinians inspect their destroyed tents after an Israeli airstrike that left many dead and injured in the Al-Mawasi area, which was bombarded with numerous rockets on the tents of the displaced people west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

Palestinians inspect their destroyed tents after an Israeli airstrike that left many dead and injured in the Al-Mawasi area, which was bombarded with numerous rockets on the tents of the displaced people west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

Palestinians inspect their destroyed tents after an Israeli airstrike that left many dead and injured in the Al-Mawasi area, which was bombarded with numerous rockets on the tents of the displaced people west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpaPalestinians inspect their destroyed tents after an Israeli airstrike that left many dead and injured in the Al-Mawasi area, which was bombarded with numerous rockets on the tents of the displaced people west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

Palestinians inspect their destroyed tents after an Israeli airstrike that left many dead and injured in the Al-Mawasi area, which was bombarded with numerous rockets on the tents of the displaced people west of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa