The days do not seem to get any easier. Last night, just as I was posting yesterday’s diary entry, reports began to emerge of an Israeli strike in Rafah that resulted in a significant and increasing number of civilian casualties.
This afternoon, we learned of a shooting incident along the Egyptian border, involving an exchange of fire between Israeli and Egyptian troops. One Egyptian soldier was killed. It appears the initial shots were fired by the Egyptian side, further escalating tensions with the Egyptians, who extremely displeased with our presence there.
Details regarding last night’s bombing remain unclear. Moreover, the accuracy of the reported casualty figures are still uncertain. Nevertheless, it is evident that some civilians, including children, died. The IAF fired two small missiles that struck their intended target; however, the origin of the fires that led to the numerous fatalities remains unclear.
IDF Spokesman office released the following statement:
Last night (Sunday), an aircraft attacked significant terror targets in Rafah, including senior members of the West Bank headquarters of the Hamas terrorist organization, who directed attacks by Hamas operatives in Judea and Samaria and carried out deadly attacks against Israeli citizens. The attack was based on prior intelligence information about the presence of the terrorists at the location.
Prior to the attack, numerous measures were taken to minimize the chance of harm to non-combatants, including aerial contract verification, the use of precise munitions, and additional intelligence information, based on which it was assessed that no harm to uninvolved civilians was expected.
Furthermore, the attack wasnotcarried outin the humanitarian area of Al Mawasi, to which the IDF had called the population to evacuate.
The event is being investigated by the Military Investigative Services, an independent body responsible for examining exceptional events in combat. IDF Investigators are examining the circumstances of the deaths of civilians in the attack area. The IDF regrets any harm to non-combatants in the course of the fighting.
The targets of yesterday’s IDF attack in Rafah were Yassin Rabia, Commander of Hamas’s so-called West Bank headquarters, and Khaled Najjar, another senior member of the unit.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF LAWYERS
This morning, at the Annual Conference of Lawyers in Eilat, the Chief Military Prosecutor addressed both the court decisions in the Hague, as well as, last night’s IDF strike in Rafah.
Chief Military Prosecutor, Major General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi stated:
We are fighting enemies who have nothing whatsoever to do with the laws of warfare; enemies who cynically exploit the law while cruelly using the civilian population as a human shield.
Last week, we heard the decision of the International Criminal Court's prosecutor to issue arrest warrants against the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense, while offensively listing them alongside the leaders of the terrorist organization Hamas.
The claim that Israel enforces a deliberate policy of starvation while the IDF makes tremendous efforts to bring food, medicine, and humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip is baseless.
The claim that Israel engages in the deliberate killing of civilians and systematic destruction of property while the IDF tirelessly works to minimize harm to the civilian population is detached from reality.
In war, incidents do occur that raise suspicions of violations of the laws of warfare and military orders. However, these are exceptions that do not reflect the general rule. Quite the opposite – these suspicions are thoroughly and decisively investigated as part of our deep commitment to the law.
Maintaining red lines, even in war, especially in war, and enforcing the law where these lines have been crossed, clearly expresses the profound difference between us and our enemies. This is how we have operated in the IDF since the first day of the war, and we are proud of it.
At this stage, I can note that so far about seventy Military Police investigations have been opened regarding incidents that raised suspicion of criminal offenses. Some of the events, like the one last night in Rafah, are very difficult. The details of yesterday's incident are still under investigation, and we are committed to thoroughly examining it. The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals during the war.
This evening, during a speech to the Knesset, Netanyahu referenced yesterday’s attack, apologized for what he referred to as a tragedy, and expressed regret over the loss of innocent lives.
AN ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVE ON ISRAEL’S SUCCESS IN GAZA
One of our readers shared a link to an article that challenges the prevailing consensus in Israel. It’s worth reading: "Israel is Succeeding in Gaza".
I wish I could agree with the article, but unfortunately, I do not. The next steps of the war remain unclear. What will happen after Rafah? Without ending the war, there is no way to bring the hostages home.
Tonight, Netanyahu stated he will not end the war until all our objectives are met. He asserted that if Israel ends the war now, the soldiers who died will have done so in vain. Netanyahu declared, “I will continue regardless of the international pressure. I will withstand all the pressure.” He reiterated the call for complete victory, a goal that I have yet to hear anyone else believe is achievable. Opposite Netanyahu in the gallery, the families of the hostages listened, hearing that there was no likelihood their loved ones would return.
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GADI EIZENKOT SPEAKS OUT
Today at the meeting of the Knesset Foreign and Military Affairs Committee, former Chief of Staff and member of the war cabinet, Gadi Eizenkot said the following:
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