“Rafah attack is being investigated”
Biden rejects departure from Israel policy
29.05.2024, 03:23
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The USA is critical of the Israeli advances in the south of the Gaza Strip and is demanding restraint from Israel. Even after the attack on a refugee camp in Rafah that left many dead, the White House has so far seen no reason to change course.
US President Joe Biden is sticking to his Middle East policy after the Israeli attack near Rafah, which left dozens dead in a refugee camp, according to Washington. The deadly attack is “not something we turn a blind eye to,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists. However, he has “no policy changes to announce” after this attack. The incident “just happened” and is being investigated by Israel. The outcome will be awaited.
Regarding fears of an expanded Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, Kirby said there was no evidence that the Israeli army had “advanced into Rafah.” “We have not seen them moving with large units, large numbers of troops, in columns and formations in some sort of coordinated maneuver against multiple targets on the ground.”
The US Department of Defense also classifies Israel’s military action in Rafah as “limited.” According to the Pentagon’s current assessment, “what is happening in Rafah, what the Israeli army is doing, is limited in scope,” said deputy Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh. Even if there are “movements within Rafah,” this does not mean “that the scope and extent” of the Israeli military operation has changed, she added, referring to reports of Israeli tanks advancing into the center of Rafah.
Attack with the “smallest bomb”
Earlier, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Israel’s preliminary investigation into the incident indicated the attack was carried out with the “smallest bomb in their arsenal.” Singh said the government was now awaiting final results of the investigation.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has had “direct and open discussions” with the Israeli government, and US government officials will continue to do so. “We take what happened over the weekend very seriously. We have all seen the images. They are absolutely horrific,” Singh added.
First findings: Explosion at weapons depot?
On Monday night, a refugee camp near Rafah run by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) was hit by an Israeli air strike. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, 45 people were killed and more than 240 others injured. The incident caused international horror. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of a “tragic mishap”. The Israeli army launched an investigation.
According to initial findings from the army investigation, the fire was caused by another explosion after the Israeli attack – and “not solely” as a result of the shelling. “Our ammunition alone could not have caused a fire of this magnitude,” army spokesman Daniel Hagari told journalists. Initial findings suggest that it could be a depot of weapons stored locally that exploded. Israel has located the last remaining Hamas battalions in the Gaza Strip in Rafah on the border with Egypt and has been bombing targets in the city for weeks.