CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: IDF Says It Used Small Munitions in Rafah Airstrike, Hidden Store of Terror Munitions may have Caused Deadly Blaze
CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: IDF Says It Used Small Munitions in Rafah Airstrike, Hidden Store of Terror Munitions may have Caused Deadly Blaze
https://x.com/IDF/status/1795507041135456626
Source: Israel Defense Forces X Account, @IDF
“Despite our efforts to minimize civilian casualties during the strike, the fire that broke out was unexpected and unintended…Our investigation seeks to determine what may have caused such a large fire to ignite.“
Watch the full statement by IDF Spokesperson RAdm. Daniel Hagari regarding the recent strike that occurred in Rafah:
The military is investigating if a stockpile of weapons and other combustibles caused secondary explosives that killed dozens of people, and the airstrike occurred about a mile from the designated Gaza safe zone.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated Tuesday that a hidden store of weapons may have been the actual cause of a deadly blaze in southern Gaza’s Rafah, and that an airstrike that targeted an adjacent area had employed small munitions that would not ignite such a fire on their own.
The military suspects that the munitions or another combustible substance it was unaware of caused a secondary explosion and fire in a complex housing displaced Gazans in Rafah, killing dozens of Palestinian civilians, following an airstrike targeting 2 top Hamas terrorists in the area.
The attack and deaths sparked widespread worldwide outrage, with Palestinians and many Arab countries labeling it a “massacre.”
The United Nations Security Council was slated to hold an emergency meeting later Tuesday to discuss the incident, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a “tragic mishap.”
It happened as Israel went ahead with its controversial attack in Rafah, which had already encountered tremendous resistance, especially from the United States, due to the risk to non-combatants, with over 1 million people seeking refuge in the area during the ongoing conflict.
In order to keep civilians safe, the IDF has ordered them to relocate to designated safe zones, where many of those displaced by the war are living in tents.
In an update on its investigation, the IDF stated that it had been tracking Hamas commanders Yassin Rabia and Khaled Najjar prior to the strike on a compound they were in on Sunday night, in the Tel Sultan district of western Rafah.
According to IDF intelligence, the area had previously been used for Hamas activity, with a rocket launcher placed just a few dozen meters from where the 2 commanders were killed.
According to the IDF, the strike was not intended to harm civilians, and it had taken precautions ahead of time to ensure that no women or children were present in the Hamas compound.
According to the IDF, Israeli fighter jets employed 2 small munitions in the strike, each with a 17-kilogram payload (37-pound), in an attempt to avoid civilian casualties due to their close proximity to the displaced Palestinian camp.
Nonetheless, following the strike, a fire broke out in the nearby compound where Palestinian civilians were refuge.
According to Hamas health officials in Gaza, 45 people were killed and scores injured.
According to the IDF’s preliminary investigation, the 2 small missiles alone would not have been sufficient to spark the fire.
The military was further investigating what caused the fire.
According to the IDF’s preliminary investigation, ammunition, weapons, or other materials were kept near the attack site, resulting in a secondary blast and fire that spread and killed Palestinian people.
An independent military group tasked with investigating unusual incidents throughout the war is looking into the Rafah strike.
In an English-language press conference Tuesday, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military is still investigating the tragedy, but he also provided proof that the fire was sparked by something else in the region.
The Gaza conflict began on Oct. 7 with Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and kidnapped 252.
Israel has threatened to overthrow the terror group’s authority in Gaza and free the hostages.
NEWS SOURCE & LINKS:
The Times of Israel
IDF: Used Small Munitions in Rafah Airstrike, HIDDEN STORE OF MUNITIONS MAY HAVE CAUSED DEADLY BLAZE | Christian Breaking News!