Netanyahu acknowledges Rafah airstrike ‘tragic mistake’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike in Rafah that ignited a fire in a tent camp of displaced Palestinians, killing 45, per Gazan authorities, including women and children, a “tragic mistake.” 

Hundreds more were treated for severe burns.

Israel’s military claims the strike killed two Hamas officials and that it has opened an investigation into the civilian deaths.

The deadly action has drawn international criticism from the EU and Arab nations. The UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting to address the situation.

As the international outcry mounts, the airstrike “complicate(s)” the negotiations that were supposed to resume today, mediator Qatar says.

Hamas’s terms, which have been rejected by Israel, include a permanent truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.