UN experts call Rafah camp attack 'barbaric, flagrant violation of international law'

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - UN experts called Israel’s attack on a camp for displaced people in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza "barbaric" and a "flagrant violation of international law."

Demanding decisive international action to end the "bloodshed" in Gaza, the experts said in a statement: "Harrowing images of destruction, displacement and death have emerged from Rafah, including infants torn apart and people burnt alive."

"Reports emerging from the ground indicate that the strikes were indiscriminate and disproportionate, with people trapped inside burning plastic tents, leading to a horrific casualty toll," they said. "These barbaric attacks are a flagrant violation of international law."

Targeting sites known to shelter displaced Palestinians seeking refuge constitutes a "grave breach of the laws of war and a grim reminder of the urgent need for international action and accountability," they said.

The experts underscored that Israel's actions bear international legal responsibility even though the country claims that strikes were a "mistake."

"Calling it a mistake will not make the strikes legal, bring back those killed in Rafah or give comfort to grieving survivors," they said.

Recalling that the attack came after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, which ordered Israel to immediately halt the military offensive and any other action in Rafah, they said: "Israel had flagrantly disregarded this directive in Sunday night’s attack."

The experts expressed deep frustration at the international community’s "failure" to come together and stop Israel’s assault, which has endangered Palestinians and Israeli hostages alike.

"This cannot be tolerated," they said. "An immediate and permanent ceasefire, coupled with meaningful measures to document and ensure accountability for atrocities, and secure the fundamental rights of Palestinians in Gaza, are the only path forward to salvage our shared humanity."

At least 45 people were killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 250 others injured in the Israeli strike on the camp on Sunday.

The attack occurred near the logistics base of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Tal al-Sultan, said the Gaza-based Government Media Office.

Israel has launched a brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023 following a Hamas attack, killing more than 36,170 people and injuring at least 81,400 others.

Nearly eight 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 in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.