At least 45 people were killed and more than 200 injured after a fire ignited at the camp following the strike, most of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry and Palestinian medics. It marks the deadliest incident in Rafah since Israel began its offensive in the city in May. The U.N. Security Council has called an emergency meeting for today to discuss the incident.
The White House is still assessing whether the Israeli strike that killed 45 civilians in Rafah is a violation of President Biden’s “red line,” according to two U.S. officials. A U.S. official said the White House is still determining what happened to decide if the circumstances justify U.S. action, with a National Security Council spokesperson adding that the administration is engaging with their Israeli counterparts to assess the incident. Barak Ravid reports for Axios. But
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that an airstrike that killed dozens at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah on Sunday was a “tragic mistake.”
In its explanation, Israel Tells US Rafah Strike Shrapnel May Have Ignited Fuel Tank
Israeli officials informed the Biden administration that shrapnel from an Israeli strike in Rafah might have ignited a fuel tank, causing a fire that killed dozens of displaced Gazans. The IDF stated the strike targeted two senior Hamas terrorists, was based on intelligence, and used precision weaponry. The White House is actively engaging with Israel and other partners to determine the facts. The IDF emphasized that the strike did not occur within the Al-Mawasi humanitarian zone and reiterated its commitment to minimizing civilian harm. Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the IDF’s Military Advocate General, announced an investigation into the airstrike that allegedly killed 35 people.
With world leaders calling for an investigation into the attack as reported by the New York Times; BBC News, top U.N. officials including Secretary-General António Guterres, human rights chief Volker Türk, and relief chief Martin Griffiths have condemned Israel’s actions. France, Britain, and Spain also denounced the attack, China called on Israel to “stop its attacks on Rafah,” and Germany’s vice chancellor reportedly said on Saturday that Israel’s Rafah offensive was “incompatible with international law.”
At the same time, Israeli tanks reached the center of Rafah for the first time today, witnesses say. The military said its forces continued to operate in the Rafah area without commenting on reported advancements in the city center. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters.
The former head of Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, allegedly threatened a chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court over an inquiry into atrocity crimes in Gaza. Yossi Cohen reportedly pressured then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to abandon an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories in the years leading up to her decision to open the investigation in 2021. That investigation culminated last week when Bensouda’s successor, Karim Khan, announced that he was seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli officials, including Netanyahu. Harry Davies reports for The Guardian.
Hamas said it launched a “big” rocket attack in Tel Aviv on Sunday, the first time in nearly four months the group has attacked central Israel. The Israeli military said its air defense systems intercepted several of the rockets. Lipika Pelham and Dan Johnson report for BBC News.
The Israeli military said on Sunday it had killed two senior Hamas officials in a “precise airstrike in northwest Rafah.” In a post on X, the military said it “eliminated” Yassin Rabia, who “managed the entirety of Hamas’ terrorist activity in Judea and Samaria,” and Khaled Nagar, who “directed shooting attacks and other terrorist activities in Judea and Samaria.”
At least 10 people, including children, were killed in Gaza on Saturday after a drone strike hit the school they were sheltering in on the outskirts of Jabalia, local health workers say. CNN reports.
Aid trucks from Egypt entered Gaza on Sunday under a new U.S.-brokered agreement to reopen the Kerem Shalom crossing, the Israeli military and the Egyptian Red Crescent said. Aaron Boxerman and Vivek Shankar report for the New York Times.
REGIONAL RESPONSE
Qatar said Israel’s strike on a Rafah displacement camp could “hinder” ongoing ceasefire and hostage release negotiations. Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are set to resume in Cairo today, according to an Egyptian official. Mostafa Salem reports for CNN.
A member of Egypt’s security forces was killed on Sunday near the Rafah border crossing, an Egyptian army spokesperson said yesterday. The Israeli military confirmed a “shooting incident at the Egyptian border” and said it was investigating the incident. Emad Mekay and Matthew Mpoke Bigg report for the New York Times; Adela Suliman, Heba Farouk Mahfouz, and Lior Soroka report for the Washington Post.
An Israeli strike at the entrance to a hospital in southern Lebanon yesterday killed at least two people and injured 15, according to Lebanese health officials. The Israeli military said in a statement it was targeting a member of Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah, but Lebanese officials stressed that the man was a civilian. Euan Ward reports for the New York Times; Mohammed Zinaty reports for AP News.
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
The International Court of Justice on Friday ordered Israel to immediately halt its offensive in Rafah, citing its obligations under the Genocide Convention. The court ruled that Israel must “immediately halt” its military offensive in Rafah and undertake other steps, including opening the Rafah crossing and allowing international investigators to enter the enclave. Readers may be interested in Adil Haque’s analysis of the court’s order for Just Security. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters; Ellen Francis and Louisa Loveluck report for the Washington Post.
E.U. foreign ministers have for the first time engaged in a “significant” discussion on sanctioning Israel if it fails to comply with international humanitarian law, Irish foreign minister Micheál Martin said yesterday. Nathalie Weatherald reports for POLITICO.
Spain, Ireland, and Norway will officially recognize an independent Palestinian state today. Reuters reports.
IDF Denies Hamas Claim of Captured Soldiers in Gaza
The IDF denied Hamas’s claim that it captured Israeli soldiers in Gaza. Hamas released an unverified video showing a body being dragged in a tunnel, but the IDF said no Israeli soldiers were kidnapped. The Hamas statement came after intense fighting in Jabaliya, where the IDF has targeted Hamas cells. The video also showed military gear and submachine guns not commonly used by the IDF.
Hamas Rockets Hit Tel Aviv Area for First Time in Four Months
On May 26, Hamas fired eight rockets at central Israel from Rafah, marking the first such attack in four months. Three rockets were intercepted by Iron Dome, while five landed in open areas. Shrapnel hit a house in Herzliya, causing minor injuries. The attack came as the IDF advanced into Rafah, aiming to dismantle Hamas’s stronghold. Israeli forces killed terrorist operatives, uncovered weapons caches, and targeted tunnel shafts in Rafah.
Gantz Calls for Independent Commission of Inquiry into Hamas Invasion
National Unity leader Benny Gantz has proposed a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 Hamas invasion and the ongoing Gaza conflict, aiming to scrutinize political, military, and intelligence decision-making, as well as Israel’s compliance with international law. Gantz warned he would leave the government if Prime Minister Netanyahu does not present postwar plans for Gaza by June 8. The proposal faces slim chances of passing in the Netanyahu-led cabinet. Meanwhile, during a visit to the IDF Urim base near the Gaza border, Gantz emphasized the necessity of military operations in Rafah and condemned Hamas as war criminals.
US Naval Vessels Run Aground Near Temporary Gaza Pier
American vessels disconnected from a floating pier near Gaza on Saturday due to stormy seas, becoming stuck on Israeli beaches, US Central Command reported. Four ships broke free, with no reported injuries and the aid pier remaining operational. Two ships washed up near the pier, while another was stuck in Ashdod. Recovery efforts are ongoing with help from the Israeli Navy. The US reiterated no personnel would enter Gaza. The pier aims to deliver 150 truckloads of aid daily to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Hamas Planned Attacks on Israeli Embassy and U.S. Base in Germany
German security services revealed that a Hamas terrorist cell planned attacks on the Israeli embassy in Berlin and a U.S. military base in Germany, as reported by Welt am Sonntag. The suspect, of Lebanese origin, was arrested in Berlin in December and found with target locations on his smartphone. Prosecutors accused him of seeking hiding places for weapons. He received instructions from Hamas officials in Lebanon. This aligns with a January statement from the Prime Minister’s office about Hamas’s European network targeting Jewish and Israeli sites. The arrest prevented a potential attack, and investigations are ongoing.
Nikki Haley Arrives in Israel for Diplomatic and Humanitarian Visit
Nikki Haley, former U.S. presidential candidate and ambassador to the UN, arrived in Israel on Sunday for a diplomatic and humanitarian visit. Haley will tour the Gaza Envelope and northern border areas and meet with senior government and security officials, returned hostages, IDF soldiers who fought on October 7, and survivors of the Nova Music Festival massacre. During recent speculation about her as a potential running mate for Donald Trump, Haley reaffirmed her support for Trump in the upcoming election.
Israeli Military Prepares for Northern War with Extensive Drill
The IDF concluded a major military exercise simulating a maneuver into Lebanon, involving the 146th Division and the 205th Armored Brigade. The drill focused on rapid deployment, coordination within division and brigade headquarters, and combat readiness. The 551st Brigade, which previously saw action in Gaza, practiced maneuvering through wooded terrain, emergency mobilization, and simulated battles in Lebanon. The exercise aimed to enhance logistical and communication coordination, ensuring the military’s preparedness for potential conflict in northern Israel.
Ex-Mossad Chief Accused of Threatening Former ICC Prosecutor
Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen reportedly pressured former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to halt an investigation into Israeli war crimes, according to The Guardian. Cohen allegedly acted as Prime Minister Netanyahu’s “unofficial messenger” and made veiled threats, suggesting potential risks to Bensouda’s security and that of her family. Reports also indicate Mossad monitored Bensouda’s family and attempted to discredit her. Cohen, led Mossad from 2015 to 2021. The Israeli government denied the allegations.
Eizenkot Says War with Hamas Will Continue for Years
Israeli war cabinet member Gabby Eizenkot told the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee that the conflict with Hamas will persist for years, despite claims of significant damage to Hamas’s battalions. Eizenkot said 21 Hamas battalions remain capable of fighting and that a complete end to the war or securing all hostages is unrealistic. Eizenkot suggested pursuing a hostage deal and a temporary ceasefire, emphasizing Israel’s obligation to return civilians and soldiers. He stressed that any initiative should be from a position of strength, allowing for strategic pauses to achieve long-term goals.
Netanyahu Denies Blocking Hostage Deal, Calls Rafah Strike a ‘Tragic Error’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the Knesset, vowed to continue fighting in Gaza and denied accusations of hindering a hostage deal with Hamas. He described the Rafah strike, which killed numerous civilians, as a tragic error despite efforts to avoid such outcomes. Netanyahu emphasized his commitment to achieving all war objectives and rejected claims of stalling negotiations for the hostages’ release. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu, insisting he cannot remain prime minister without securing the hostages’ return. Netanyahu asserted his approval of all requests for negotiation flexibility and condemned leaks suggesting otherwise.
THE URGENCY OF THE SETTLER COLONIALISM
FRAMEWORK IN UNDERSTANDING 7 OCTOBER
The new far-right leadership under Benjamin Netanyahu
has deployed the strategy of “conflict management,” which has a clear
colonial marker to dismantle the Palestinian cause. This strategy
involves the Judaization of the space, the alteration of demography, and
the division of Palestinians into isolated communities under Israeli
dominance. These policies were pursued under the auspices of inter-
national and Arab abandonment of Palestinians. Therefore, Palestin-
ian hopelessness has intensified to an indescribable extent, leading to
an intractable organic crisis that culminated in an eruption of extreme
violence. Recognizing the colonial character of these dynamics is crucial
for confronting it.
Yet the attack on 7 October and the subsequent war on Gaza triggered questioning whether these represent a novel and extraordinary event that needs a new framing rather than a colonial one or a radical manifestation and an inevitable consequence of the settler colonial evolving and metamorphosis in the last decades.
On one hand, the 7 October attack and the subsequent war on Gaza signify a notable and extraordinary episode of “extreme violence,” characterized by significant destruction and loss of life in a brief span. On the other hand, this “extreme violence,” I argue, is entangled in the radicalization of the Israeli colonial practices and political metamorphosis that poses an imminent threat to Palestinian national/collective existence.
The colonial radicalization related to various factors, most notably the internal sociodemographic changes in the Israeli immigrant society, especially the decline of the founder colonial Zionist elites and the rise of new far-right groups who presented themselves as “true Zionism.” This Zionism aspired to rebuild the Zionist project on new foundations that replace soft Israeli secular Zionism, by emphasizing Jewish nationalism, the values of conservatism, Jewish supremacy, exclusive rights for Jews between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, and precisely achieving full Jewish sovereignty over the “Land of Israel” (Eretz Yisrael)1 while liquidating the Palestinian question by blocking all paths for them to get rid of the occupation and establish their independent state.”
For decades, following a long colonial tradition, Israel has treated the Palestinians as subhuman, not in the sense of Gallant’s reference to animalistic humans or Netanyahu’s concept of Amalek, but rather as biological creatures devoid of political rights. They are not regarded as political beings (Homo politicus), but rather as subjects who can be manipulated and controlled with the right equation of power exercises and biological needs supplies. Israel’s attempt to develop the precise formula that grants it control over the Palestinians, only to ultimately fail, leaves it perplexed. The reason is that it fails to acknowledge the Palestinians as a collective with national and political entitlement and rights.
This strategy has consistently demonstrated its lack of success over the past 75 years. Despite enduring various forms of oppression throughout their ongoing Nakba, the Palestinians remained resolute in their resistance. Conversely, the presence of colonialism and systemic violence only intensified their anger, leading to a more tragic escalation in acts of oppositional violence.
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Last week carried further indications of what most analysts in Israel describe as the increasing complexity of Israel’s situation both at the military level and in the international arena.
Among the indicators related to the international arena, it is necessary to stop at two of them:
The first, the decision of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, on May 24, stipulated that Israel must immediately cease its military offensive and any other action in Rafah province that may inflict on the Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip conditions that could lead to its physical destruction, in whole or in part. The wording used in the resolution appears to allow, even for Israel, to be interpreted as allowing it to carry out the military operation in Rafah. Also, according to the interpretation of 4 judges in the court, this was not direct and comprehensive to stop the Israeli military operation in Rafah, but rather limited ordering Israel not to violate the Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide in that military operation.
The second indicator, the announcement of the International Criminal Court Attorney General Karim Khan, on May 20, that he has requested the issuance of arrest warrants against Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the military wing of this movement, Mohammed Al-Deif, the head of the political bureau of the movement Ismail Haniyeh, and against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
According to some analyses, if these two indicators are added to other emerging indicators, it is undoubtedly confirmed that Israel is present at a moment of terrible defeat and a deterioration in an unprecedented bottom. In particular, indicators are noted that several Western countries recognize the Palestinian state, on the one hand, and on the other hand, the breadth of the academic boycott of Israel in the world and the recognition by several Israeli researchers that they are facing great difficulties in publishing their articles in the refereed journals because the arbitrators are not ready to read this research, as reported by the newspaper “Yedioth Ahronot” (24/5/2024). Within the latter same context, we should point out that the Israeli reactions to the wave of protests against the Israeli aggressive war that has been going on in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which is witnessed by many universities in the world, especially in the United States, are agreed that these protests will not subside when the war ends and can transcend the borders of American universities and turn into a broad public discourse in the United States, and they have also extended to European universities and other countries of the West. Above all, it would become one of the key features in crystallizing the aspirations of current university students who, in some way, constitute the next generation of leadership in the United States and Western countries.
Political analyst Nadav Eyal (“Yedioth Ahronoth,” 24/5/2024) brought to mind that in 2019 a book entitled “How Netanyahu turned Israel into an Empire” was released and distanced it from international isolation despite the conflict with the Palestinians, the occupation in the 1967 territories, and the growing recognition of the Palestinian state. In the book, it was noted that the political goal set by Netanyahu upon his return to prime minister in 2009, was to transform Israel into a regionally influential superpower. “It is a goal that could only be achieved by exploiting the qualitative elements and strengths of Israeli society, and then turning them into privileges that push towards achieving the political goal. This Netanyahu strategy was based on two pillars: a strong and stable economy, and military and security power.” Where is Israel now from this vision?
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