Israel updates death toll, acknowledges "tragedy," EU activates action.

At least 45 Palestinians, including 23 women, children, and the elderly, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a camp for those displaced from the city of Rafah in southern Gaza on May 27.

The scene after a fire caused by an Israeli airstrike at a refugee camp for displaced people in Rafah, May 27. (Source: Flash 90)

A senior official from the Civil Defense Agency in the Gaza Strip added that the airstrikes also injured 65 people. The casualties were mostly women, children, and the elderly.

Meanwhile, rescue efforts are facing major challenges due to a lack of water to extinguish fires caused by airstrikes.

The Times of Israel quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying to the Knesset after the incident: “In Rafah, we evacuated one million affected people, and despite our efforts, a tragic incident occurred yesterday. We are investigating this and will draw conclusions.”

Nevertheless, Netanyahu continued to declare that he would continue fighting in Gaza until all his goals were achieved and "the flag of victory was raised."

Meanwhile, Major General Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi, Israel's top military prosecutor, described the airstrike as "very serious" and said the military regretted any harm to civilians.

On the same day, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement saying that it had directed the fact-finding and assessment agency of the General Staff to investigate the attack.

The IDF statement added: "Prior to the attack, several steps were taken to reduce the risk of harm to unrelated civilians, including the deployment of aerial surveillance, precision air fire, and additional intelligence."

In response to the incident, Xinhua News Agency, citing a source, reported that Hamas had informed mediators that the movement would not participate in any negotiations regarding a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Knesset on May 27, following the attack that killed 45 Palestinian refugees. (Source: Flash90)

International reaction

Following the attack, on May 27, United Nations Secretary- General Antonio Guterres posted a message on his personal social media account saying, "Nowhere in Gaza is safe and this horror must end."

On the same day, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed his shock at the incident and urged the Israeli authorities to comply with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling and end the military operation in Rafah.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) described reports of attacks on civilians seeking refuge in Rafah as "horrific".

On the US side, a National Security Council spokesperson stated: “Israel has the right to pursue Hamas… But as we have made clear, Israel must take all possible precautions to protect civilians.”

Washington affirmed that it is actively coordinating with the IDF and partners on the ground to assess what happened, while noting that the IDF is conducting an investigation.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry issued a statement emphasizing that the latest Israeli attack on Rafah could hinder reconciliation efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire and hostage exchange with Hamas forces.

Saudi Arabia condemned the attack, describing it as an "extremely serious" event.

Italy also expressed a similar stance. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated that the Palestinian people are being oppressed while their rights are being ignored; the acts of violence against civilians in Gaza are unjustifiable.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed outrage over the incident, declaring: "These activities must stop. There is no safe zone in Rafah for Palestinian civilians."

The EU will take action in Rafah.

On the same day, May 27, AFP reported that the foreign ministers of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) had agreed to convene a meeting with Israel to demand an explanation for its actions in the Rafah attack despite the ICJ ruling.

EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy Josep Borrell called the attack horrific, and stressed that the incident shows there is no safe place in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted Borrell as saying that EU foreign ministers had agreed in principle to restore the bloc's civilian mission in Rafah, which has been inactive since 2007, when Hamas gained full control of the Gaza Strip.

An EU diplomatic official clarified: "They gave me the green light, a political green light, to reactivate our mission in Rafah. This could play a useful role in assisting people in and out of Gaza."

However, the EU High Representative also noted that this plan must be implemented with the agreement of Palestine, Egypt, and Israel. Many diplomats believe that the EU mission is unlikely to be implemented before the conflict in Rafah ends.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/vu-khong-kich-trai-ti-nan-o-rafah-cap-nhat-so-nguoi-tu-vong-israel-thua-nhan-tham-kich-eu-kich-hoat-hanh-dong-272847.html