Refugee camp under fire in Rafah, casualties reported: Israel denies involvement
Photo: a tent city with refugees was fired upon in Rafah (Getty Images)
In the vicinity of al-Mawasi area in Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip, a refugee camp was shelled. The attack resulted in numerous fatalities and injuries. Israel has denied any involvement in the incident, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on social media and The Times of Israel.
During the daytime on Friday, June 21, heavy-caliber shells landed just meters away from the office and residential areas of the ICRC. The office building, surrounded by hundreds of displaced civilians living in tents, sustained damage from the impact.
According to the Red Cross, following the shelling, 22 fatalities and 45 injuries were transported to the nearest field hospital of the organization.
An Israeli army spokesperson stated, "There are no indications" that Israeli forces targeted the makeshift town.
"A preliminary investigation indicates there are no signs that the IDF struck the humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi. The incident is under review," said an IDF representative.
The Gaza Ministry of Health, under Hamas control, accused Israel of the shelling and reported 25 deaths and 50 injuries.
Israel's conflict with Hamas
In October of last year, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked the Gaza Strip. On the first day of the attack, terrorists took dozens of civilians and Israeli soldiers hostage.
In response, the Israeli army launched a military operation in the enclave. Within a few months, the IDF occupied most of the territory and approached the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.
However, the military actions were accompanied by widespread destruction and the deaths of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip. A number of EU countries and even the United States criticized Tel Aviv for human rights violations and breaches of the laws of war.
At the end of May, the UN International Court ruled that Israel must cease its advance on Rafah in the Gaza Strip. However, the Israeli government refused to comply with this demand.
The IDF has besieged Rafah and is conducting a limited operation.
Recently, the IDF attacked a Hamas complex located inside a school in the central part of the Gaza Strip.
