Netanyahu Admits to ‘Tragic Mistake’ After Gaza Bombing Claims 35 Lives

Netanyahu: “Regrettably, a Tragic Mistake Made”

Axios reported on the 27th (local time) that the White House is assessing whether Israel’s attack on Rafah, which resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, crossed President Joe Biden’s red line.

An American official said, “The White House is in the process of figuring out exactly what happened to determine if the different circumstances justify U.S. action,” adding, “The Rafah incident could potentially exert political pressure to change President Biden’s policy on the Gaza war.”

The Israeli military launched an airstrike on Rafah, the southernmost city of the Gaza Strip, the night before. The attack spread to densely populated areas where refugees live, setting tents on fire. The Gaza Health Department has reported 35 deaths so far, including 23 women and elderly people, and 249 injuries. This incident has drawn more criticism as it happened despite an emergency order from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to halt the military invasion of Rafah.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “About a million non-combatants have already been evacuated from Rafah,” adding, “Despite our utmost efforts to avoid harm, regrettably, a tragic mistake was made.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council (NSC) of the White House emphasized, “Israel has the right to attack Hamas, and we understand that this airstrike killed two senior terrorists of Hamas who are responsible for attacking Israeli civilians.” However, they added, “As we have clearly stated, Israel must take all possible precautions to protect civilians.”