Hamas munitions caused fire in Rafah camp: Israel

People rally in Paris to show support to Palestinians

A fire at a displaced people camp in Rafah following an airstrike was likely caused by Hamas munitions, according to a preliminary military investigation, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday. The Sunday night airstrike killed Hamas commanders Yassin Rabia and Khaled Nagar in a compound in the Rafah neighborhood of Tel Sultan. The pair was responsible for coordinating and funding terror attacks in Judea and Samaria.

Police officers clash pro-Palestinian protesters during outside Downing Street, central London

According to the IDF, the area of the compound had been used for Hamas activities. Just 47 metres away from the site of the strike was a rocket launcher and launching pit. The compound was one kilometre from the humanitarian zone and the IDF said it used two small munitions to prevent collateral damage in the nearby camp. The IDF stressed that the 17-kg warheads used were not powerful enough on their own to trigger the fire.

Demonstrators clash with the police in front of the Israeli embassy in Mexico City. Pics/AFP

The military believes the fire was likely caused by secondary explosions from Hamas munitions or some other material it was not aware of. "We have a suspicion, following intelligence surveillance and analysis of the videos from the event that were distributed on social networks, that secondary explosions at the site were caused by Hamas ammunition storage. This suspicion is under investigation," the IDF said. The IDF also released a recording of two Rafah residents specifically saying the fire was caused by Hamas explosives.

US decries life loss; no policy change

The White House on Tuesday condemned the loss of life of dozens of civilians as a result of an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, but said it is not planning any policy changes as a result of the Israeli actions. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Israel had not violated Biden's "red line" for withholding future offensive arms transfers because it has not, and it appears to the US that it will not, launch a full-scale ground invasion into the city.

Algeria proposes resolution for Gaza

Algeria is circulating a proposed UN Security Council resolution that would demand an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and order Israel to halt its military offensive in the southern city of Rafah immediately. The draft resolution, obtained on Wednesday evening by The Associated Press, also demands that the cease-fire be respected by all parties. It also calls for the immediate release of all hostages taken during Hamas' attack in southern Israel on October 7.

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