Amnesty UK condemns Israeli airstrikes on Rafah as 'war crimes'

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Amnesty International in the UK on Tuesday strongly condemned the recent airstrikes on Rafah, describing them as "horrific" and accusing Israeli forces of escalating attacks in the occupied Gaza Strip "in defiance of international law."

"This weekend’s horrific airstrikes on civilians in Rafah are the latest in escalating attacks by Israeli forces in the occupied Gaza Strip," Amnesty UK said, emphasizing the indiscriminate nature of the attacks which resulted in significant civilian casualties.

The organization highlighted that such attacks, which kill or injure civilians, constitute "war crimes" and demanded an immediate investigation.

"Indiscriminate attacks like these, that kill or injure civilians, are war crimes & must be investigated," Amnesty International asserted, calling for accountability and justice for the victims.

Israel's current expansion of its incursion into Rafah brings the Israeli army close to fully in control of the border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, a demilitarized buffer zone running along the Gaza-Egypt border.

The Israeli army has so far seized control of almost two-thirds of the corridor area as it advances through heavy bombardment and shelling.

Israel continued its brutal offensive on Gaza despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 36,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, the vast majority being women and children, and over 81,000 others injured since October following an attack by Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.