Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) slammed the Israeli attack that killed at least 45 people over the weekend as an “inexcusable atrocity,” amid growing criticism of the Israeli military’s operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Israeli attack on the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah targeted a tent-filled humanitarian area where Israel had previously directed Palestinians fleeing the war with the militant group Hamas. The Israeli army claimed two Hamas officials were killed in the attack.
“The IDF’s attack on the tent camp of innocent people in Rafah was an inexcusable atrocity,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Monday on Social Platform X“This was done in open defiance of President Biden’s red lines and the International Court of Justice’s call for a ceasefire.”
She added that Biden is “long overdue” to “keep his promise” and halt shipments of military aid to Israel, following through on his threat earlier this month to thwart Israel’s attack on Rafah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called the attack a “tragic mistake” and called for an investigation into civilian deaths.
“Despite our best efforts to avoid harming innocent civilians, a tragic mistake was made last night,” Netanyahu said in a speech to the Israeli parliament on Monday. “We are investigating the incident and will reach a conclusion, because that is our policy.”
The attack came just days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its operations in Rafah, the last major settlement in the Gaza Strip not under Israeli military overrun.
The attack was widely condemned, amid growing criticism of the Israeli military’s operation in Rafah. He told Axios on Monday. He called the attack a “heartbreaking event.”
“Israel has the right to pursue Hamas… but, as we have always made clear, Israel must take every precaution to protect civilians,” the spokesman said. “We are actively working with the IDF and partners on the ground to assess what has happened.”
French President Emmanuel Macron used the attack to again call for a ceasefire in the fighting.
“These operations must stop. There are no safe areas for Palestinian civilians in Rafah,” Macron said in a post on X. “I call for full respect for international law and an immediate ceasefire.”
Despite strong warnings from the Biden administration, Israeli forces are slowly advancing into Rafah.
More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are believed to have sought refuge in Rafah, with more than 80 percent of the entire population displaced. The United Nations has said civilians are struggling to access humanitarian aid and famine has begun in parts of the strip.
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