WASHINGTON: The Biden administration stated on Tuesday it was closely monitoring the probe into a deadly Israeli air strike. It described the incident as beyond tragic, as human rights groups pressured Washington to stop violence against civilians in Rafah.
Vice President Kamala Harris Speaks Out
At a ceremonial event in Washington, Vice President Kamala Harris said, “The word tragic doesn’t even begin to describe” an Israeli airstrike on Sunday that killed 45 Palestinians in Rafah. Her remarks responded to a reporter’s question and followed reports of Israeli tank shelling that killed 21 people in an evacuation area west of Rafah on Tuesday.
Israel’s Response
Israel stated, “Something unfortunately went tragically wrong” in Sunday’s airstrike and denied shelling the tent camp on Tuesday. Israel said it targeted two senior Hamas operatives on Sunday and did not intend to cause civilian casualties.
Impact on US-Israel Relations
Both events have tested President Joe Biden’s promise to withhold weapons from Israel if it made a major invasion of Rafah that put refugees at risk. The White House on Monday called the death of Palestinians “heartbreaking” and has not responded to questions about Tuesday’s attack.
Criticism from Human Rights Groups
Human rights and Arab American groups criticized the U.S. administration’s response. Nihad Awad, executive director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said, “Because of President Biden’s insistence on sending more bombs to enable Netanyahu’s war crimes in Rafah, this is now as much an American genocide as it is an Israeli genocide.” Israeli and US officials have denounced using the term genocide to describe events in Gaza.
State Department’s Reaction
The State Department said it expressed deep concern to Israel after Sunday’s incident and urged an investigation. Israel has promised to investigate. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that Washington will closely watch Israel’s probe. He noted that Israel’s military operations in Rafah have not been as large-scale as those in central or northern Gaza.
Global Leaders Express Horror
Global leaders have expressed horror at the fire in Rafah’s designated “humanitarian zone,” where families displaced by fighting sought shelter. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive. Israel launched its air and ground war after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on October 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
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