Netanyahu calls Rafah strike on civilians ‘tragic mistake’; EU-Israel ties nosedive

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Monday (May 27) that a “tragic mistake” had been made after an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah set fire to a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians and, according to local officials, killed at least 45 people.

The strike only added to the surging international criticism Israel has faced over its war with Hamas, with even its closest allies expressing outrage at civilian deaths. Israel insists it adheres to international law even as it faces scrutiny in the world’s top courts, one of which last week demanded that it halt the offensive in Rafah.

EU-Israel ties nosedive

Relations between the European Union and Israel took a nosedive on Monday, the eve of the diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state by EU members Ireland and Spain, with Madrid insisting that sanctions should be considered against Israel for its continued deadly attacks in Rafah.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Spain that its consulate in Jerusalem will not be allowed to help Palestinians.

At the same time, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell threw his weight to support the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, including leaders of the Hamas militant group.

“The prosecutor of the court has been strongly intimidated and accused of antisemitism — as always when anybody, anyone does something that Netanyahu’s government does not like,” Borrell said. “The word antisemitic, it’s too heavy. It’s too important.”

Israel, Spain exchange heated words

Spain, Ireland and Norway plan to make official their recognition of a Palestinian state on Tuesday. While dozens of countries have recognised a Palestinian state, none of the major Western powers has done so.

Angry words abounded, with Katz accusing Spain of “rewarding terror” by recognising a Palestinian state. “No one will force us to convert our religion or threaten our existence. Those who harm us, we will harm in return,” said Katz.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares slammed the comments, and said his colleagues from Ireland and Norway were “also receiving absolutely unjustified and absolutely reprehensible provocations from our Israeli colleague” because of their plans to recognise Palestine.

“In the face of those who want to divide us with any type of intimidating propaganda, the unity of Europeans is essential to send a very powerful message,” he said.

“Cannot be reconciled with idea about Israel”

Also on Monday, Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob said his government will decide on the recognition of a Palestinian state on Thursday and forward its decision to parliament for final approval. Slovenia launched the recognition procedure earlier this month, and Golob has been under pressure to speed up the process since Spain, Norway and Ireland announced they would go ahead with recognition.

Borrell said the actions of the Israeli government, including plans to stop transferring tax revenue earmarked for the Palestinian Authority, could no longer be reconciled with the idea he had about the state of Israel.

“Israel spreading hatred, rooting hatred”

The latest attacks have centred on Rafah, where Palestinian health workers said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 45 people Sunday, hit tents for displaced people and left “numerous” others trapped in flaming debris.

Netanyahu did not elaborate on the error. Israel’s military initially said it had carried out a precise airstrike on a Hamas compound, killing two senior militants. As details of the strike and fire emerged, the military said it had opened an investigation into the deaths of civilians.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said such strikes will have long-standing repercussions. “Israel with this choice is spreading hatred, rooting hatred that will involve their children and grandchildren. I would have preferred another decision,” he told SKY TG24.

“People were in unbearable state”

Sunday night’s attack, which appeared to be one of the war’s deadliest, helped push the overall Palestinian death toll in the war above 36,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and noncombatants in its tally.

“Despite our utmost efforts not to harm innocent civilians, last night, there was a tragic mistake,” Netanyahu said Monday in an address to Israel’s parliament. “We are investigating the incident and will obtain a conclusion because this is our policy.”

Mohammed Abuassa, who rushed to the scene in the northwestern neighbourhood of Tel al-Sultan, said rescuers “pulled out people who were in an unbearable state”. “We pulled out children who were in pieces. We pulled out young and elderly people. The fire in the camp was unreal,” he said.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry and the Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service, the dead included at least 12 women, eight children and three older adults, with another three bodies burnt beyond recognition.

Egyptian soldier shot dead

In a separate development, Egypt’s military said one of its soldiers was shot dead during an exchange of fire in the Rafah area, without providing further details. Israel said it was in contact with Egyptian authorities, and both sides said they were investigating.

An initial investigation found that the soldier had responded to an exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants, Egypt’s state-owned Qahera TV reported.

Egypt has warned that Israel’s incursion in Rafah could threaten the two countries' decades-old peace treaty.

Health workers killed

Rafah, the southernmost Gaza city on the border with Egypt, had housed more than a million people — about half of Gaza’s population — displaced from other parts of the territory. Most have fled once again since Israel launched what it called a limited incursion there earlier this month. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid tent camps in and around the city.

Elsewhere in Rafah, the director of the Kuwait Hospital, one of the city’s last functioning medical centres, said it was shutting down and that staff members were relocating to a field hospital.

Dr Suhaib al-Hamas said the decision was made after a strike killed two health workers Monday at the entrance to the hospital.

(With agency inputs)