Israeli strike condemned by world leaders, Egyptian soldier killed in shooting

Dozens of people were killed in Rafah on Sunday evening after an Israeli airstrike on an area where displaced civilians were sheltering in tents sparked a fire that ravaged the camp, local officials said.

Footage showed the area engulfed in flames as screaming Palestinians fled for safety, with videos shared on social media showing disturbing images including badly burned corpses and a man holding what appears to be the body without head of a small child.

The strike was condemned by world leaders just days after the United Nations' top court ordered Israel to end its offensive on the southern Gaza city, where more than a million people had found refuge.

In a speech to the Knesset on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike a “tragic mistake.”

“We are investigating the matter and will draw conclusions because it is our police,” he said.

As the global outcry intensified, the Israeli military initially said it had targeted two senior Hamas leaders, that it had not struck a designated humanitarian area, and that it had taken steps to reduce the risks harming civilians, but said a thorough investigation would be conducted into “the deaths of civilians in the strike zone.”

Qatar has warned it could hamper efforts to reach a ceasefire deal, which was renewed in Europe over the weekend. Adding to tensions, the Egyptian military said one of its soldiers was killed after reports of an exchange of fire with Israeli forces in the Rafah border area.

The Israeli military confirmed that “a shooting incident occurred on the Egyptian border,” adding that the incident was being investigated and discussions were underway with the Egyptians.

NBC News was unable to independently verify the situation on the ground.

“They said it was safe.”

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 35 people were killed in the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood, the majority of them women and children. First responders had warned that the number of casualties could rise as many were trapped by flames that erupted following the bombing.

And on Monday, the ministry indicated that the death toll rose to at least 45 people.

“This massacre is the largest in the city of Rafah in months,” Palestinian Civil Defense spokesman in Rafah, Muhammad Al-Mughir, told NBC News. He stressed that the affected area was a designated “humanitarian zone” next to UN warehouses.

Samuel Johann, Gaza emergency coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières, said Sunday's strike hit just under a kilometer from an MSF stabilization point for trauma patients. He said the facility had hosted dozens of people, with at least 28 already dead and 180 injured.

A family has described their harrowing escape after the building they were sheltering in appeared to have been hit.

“Suddenly the windows shattered,” Hala Siam told the NBC News crew on the ground. “The children were scared. We all went out into the street.”

“They said it was safe,” Siam said of the area where she and her family were sheltering. “There is no safe place in Rafah.”

The Israeli military said its strike targeted two Hamas leaders who according to them, they were responsible for organizing terrorist attacks in the occupied West Bank. He said he was aware of reports that civilian tents had been set on fire during the strike and that the incident was “being investigated.”

In a subsequent statement, the Israeli military said the airstrike was based on “previous intelligence information regarding the presence of senior Hamas terrorists at the site.” He said that before the strike, “a number of steps were taken to reduce the risk of harm to civilians not involved” and that “it was assessed that there would be no expected harm to civilians not involved.”

He said an investigation was underway into “the circumstances of the deaths of civilians in the area of ​​the strike. The Israeli army regrets any harm caused to civilians not involved during the fighting.”

In a statement, Hamas described the strike as a horrific “massacre”. He did not confirm the death of the commander or senior leader.

Earlier on Sunday, Hamas' military wing announced a missile attack on Israel targeting Tel Aviv, the first in several weeks. The Israeli military said eight projectiles were identified as they passed through the Rafah area into Israeli territory and a number were intercepted.

As outrage grew over Sunday's Rafah attack, mediators Qatar and Egypt condemned the attack as a violation of international law. Qatar, a key broker in negotiations with Hamas, has warned it could jeopardize efforts for a new hostage deal.

After weekend talks involving CIA Director William Burns in Paris, an Israeli official told NBC News that the Israeli government hoped talks could resume this week.

But French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged by the Israeli strikes which killed many displaced people in Rafah”, adding that “these operations must stop”. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also condemned the strike and said he was “horrified”.

A spokesperson for the US National Security Council said after Sunday's strike: “We are aware of the reports and are gathering more information.” »

At a press briefing last Wednesday before the International Court of Justice's ruling, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Israeli military operations appeared to have been “more targeted and limited.”

President Joe Biden had clearly warned that any large-scale attack on Rafah could lead him to suspend the shipment of certain weapons.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing scrutiny over Israel's handling of the war it launched after the Hamas-led attack on October 7. Some 1,200 people were killed and another 250 taken hostage, officials said, of whom 125 are believed to remain captive in Gaza and about a quarter are believed to have died.

More than 35,000 people have been killed in Gaza during seven months of war, according to local health authorities. Humanitarian groups have warned of catastrophic conditions for civilians who lack access to food and clean water, fueling possible famine in parts of the enclave.