Israel attacks Rafah again despite ICJ ruling: 12 dead

Israel's attacks on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip continue despite the ICJ ruling. It has been reported that at least 12 Palestinians lost their lives in an Israeli airstrike on the city.

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Israel attacks Rafah again despite ICJ ruling: 12 dead

Israel's attacks on the southern Rafah in the Gaza Strip continue despite the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling to immediately halt military operations and attacks. At least 12 Palestinians were killed in an airstrike carried out by Israeli forces on Rafah yesterday.

According to Reuters, Israel continued its attacks on Rafah after seizing the 'buffer zone' between Egypt and Rafah yesterday. Health sources in Gaza reported that at least 12 Palestinian civilians lost their lives in the Israeli attacks and that there were also people wounded in the strikes.

The Palestinian telecommunications company Jawaannounced that communication services in Rafah were cut off following Israel's attacks.

In an airstrike targeting the Al-Shati Refugee Camp west of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip, one person also lost their life.

The Israeli army, meanwhile, announced that two more of its soldiers had been killed in the Gaza Strip.

'APPLYING FOR AN ARREST WARRANT IS MADNESS'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also evaluated the request for an arrest warrant against him by Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, during an interview with the French channel LCI.

Referring to the fact that the Chief Prosecutor also requested arrest warrants for Hamas leaders, Netanyahu claimed that the ICC Chief Prosecutor was 'creating a false equivalence between Hamas leaders and the democratically elected leaders of Israel,' and described the arrest warrant application as 'madness'.

According to AA, Netanyahu asserted that there is 'no policy of starving civilians,' as alleged by the court, and argued that the grounds presented by Khan against him were 'fabricated' and that they were 'doing everything' to prevent famine in Gaza.

NETANYAHU PROTESTED

When asked about civilian casualties in Gaza, Netanyahu claimed that civilian losses in Gaza compared to military losses were 'the lowest rate seen in modern urban warfare.' Criticizing the protests held against Israel around the world, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the activists of targeting 'Israel's democracy'.

On the other hand, regarding whether they would recognize a Palestinian state, Netanyahu claimed that Palestine would not be a 'peaceful state,' stating, "If you give them a state now, it will be the greatest possible reward for terrorists."

As for the question regarding Israel's occupation of Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu "I don't know if it will be necessary to occupy Gaza, but we will need to be able to enter there at any moment to stop the terrorists" he replied.

At the time Netanyahu's interview was broadcast, hundreds of people gathered in front of the television station building to protest Netanyahu being allowed to 'spread propaganda'.

News Source: 12punto