Israel must abide by the International Court of Justice’s demand that it stop all military activity in Rafah, the European Union said, after a deadly IDF strike in Rafah killed 45 people, while Qatar warned that the deaths harmed nascent hostage talks.
“Horrified by news coming out of #Rafah on Israeli strikes killing dozens of displaced persons, including small children. I condemn this in the strongest terms,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wrote on X.
“There is no safe place in Gaza. These attacks must stop immediately. [International Court of Justice] orders [and international humanitarian law] must be respected by all parties,” Borrell wrote.
EU criticises Israel
At a press briefing later in the day, he noted that the attack took place just days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt any military operation in Rafah that “destroys the Palestinian group, in whole or in part.”
Israel has argued that the vaguely worded ruling allowed it to carry out targeted military operations. The Rafah strike which killed two top Hamas operatives had been such a targeted strike.
It set off, however, an explosion in a nearby safe zone killing 45 people and wounding dozens of others. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a tragic mistake” that is being investigated. The sight of the burned victims, however, strengthened the international community’s call for Israel to halt its Gaza operation to destroy Hamas, particularly in Rafah.
Many, like Borrell, referred to the ICJ ruling, interpreting it to be a demand that the IDF stop its Rafah activity.
The attack occurred just before the European Union’s foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday for their monthly meeting in which they discussed the Gaza war.
The 27 ministers issued a statement in which they said that “the EU reiterates its demand on Israel to implement the recent ruling of the ICJ concerning the halting of military operations in Rafah and allowing the access of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”
The strike also took place amid a renewed effort by mediating countries Qatar and Egypt to renew talks for the release of the remaining 125 hostages still being held in Gaza.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said, “the bombardment would complicate the ongoing mediation efforts, and hinder reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners and detainees; hence exacerbating further the effects of this war and its repercussions on regional and international security.”
Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told reporters in Beirut on Monday that there were no plans for ceasefire talks and the group’s demands to achieve an accord, which includes a permanent ceasefire, remain unchanged.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the Israeli attack.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based in the West Bank, condemned “the heinous massacre.” Egypt also condemned Israel’s “deliberate bombing of the tents of displaced people,” state media reported, describing it as a blatant violation of international law.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Borrell said the International Court of Justice ruling must be respected.
“International humanitarian law applies for all, also for Israel’s conduct of the war,” Baerbock said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged” over Israel’s latest attacks. “These operations must stop. There are no safe areas in Rafah for Palestinian civilians,” he said on X.
Canada said it was “horrified” by the strike, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Monday, calling for an immediate ceasefire.
“Canada does not support an Israeli military operation in Rafah. This level of human suffering must come to an end,” Joly said in a posting on X.
Reuters contributed to this report.