Israeli airstrike claims 22 lives in Rafah; Gaza death toll surpasses 34,000

Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight resulted in the tragic deaths of 22 individuals, including 18 children, according to Palestinian health officials on Sunday (21 April).

Rafah, which has become a refuge for more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants fleeing conflict elsewhere, has faced near-daily bombardments from Israeli forces.

Despite international calls for restraint, including from the US, Israel has declared its intent to escalate its ground offensive against the Hamas militant group, extending its operations to the border city with Egypt.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement vowing to intensify pressure on Hamas in the days ahead, asserting that it’s the only path to securing the release of hostages and achieving victory.

However, specific details regarding the escalation were not provided.

The initial Israeli airstrike in Rafah claimed the lives of a man, his wife, and their 3-year-old child, according to reports from the nearby Kuwaiti Hospital.

Tragically, the woman was pregnant, though doctors were able to save the unborn baby.

Subsequently, a second strike targeted an extended family, resulting in the deaths of 17 children and two women.

Relatives of the victims expressed anguish and disbelief, questioning why innocent children had to suffer such a fate while they were sleeping peacefully.

“These children were sleeping. What did they do? What was their fault?”

Rescue efforts continue as a woman and three children remain trapped under the rubble.

Escalating violence in West Bank amidst ongoing conflict

Tensions have also spiked in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israeli troops killed two Palestinians who the military says attacked a checkpoint with a knife and a gun near the southern West Bank town of Hebron early Sunday.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said that the two killed were 18 and 19, from the same family. No Israeli forces were wounded, the army said.

Later, the military said its forces shot dead a 43-year-old Palestinian woman after she tried to stab a soldier in the northern West Bank near Beka’ot settlement.

The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service said that it had recovered 14 bodies from an Israeli raid in the Nur Shams urban refugee camp in the West Bank that began late Thursday (18 April).

Those killed include three militants from the Islamic Jihad group and a 15-year-old boy.

The military said it killed 14 militants and arrested eight suspects. Ten Israeli soldiers and one border police officer were wounded.

At least 469 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the West Bank since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Most have been killed during Israeli military raids or in violent protests.

The conflict was sparked by an unprecedented 7 October raid into southern Israel in which Hamas and other militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages.

Israel says militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

The conflict has killed at least 34,097 Palestinians and wounded another 76,980, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The ministry suggests that the actual toll is probably higher, as numerous bodies remain trapped beneath rubble or in areas inaccessible to medical personnel.

US considers sanctions on Israeli battalion

The US was considering sanctions on Israel’s Netzah Yehuda battalion, which operates in the occupied West Bank, as reported by Axios.

The Israeli military, however, stated it was not aware of any such plans.

The battalion, founded to integrate ultra-Orthodox Jewish men into the military, has been identified as the unit potentially targeted for sanctions.

This development comes shortly after the US announced new sanctions connected to Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, signaling growing frustration with the policies of Netanyahu’s coalition government, which relies on settler parties.

Netanyahu stated his strong opposition to sanctions, asserting, “If anyone thinks they can impose sanctions on a unit of the [Israeli army] – I will fight it with all my strength.”

Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz echoed Netanyahu’s sentiments, stating that any sanctions would be detrimental to Israel’s legitimacy, particularly during a time of ongoing conflict.

גדוד נצח יהודה הוא חלק בלתי נפרד מצה״ל. הוא כפוף לחוק הצבאי, והוא פועל בהתאם למשפט הבינלאומי.
למדינת ישראל מערכת משפט חזקה ועצמאית, שיודעת לבדוק ולבחון כל הפרת חוק או חריגה מפקודות צה״ל, וכך גם נעשה.
יש לי הערכה רבה לידידינו האמריקאים, אבל הטלת סנקציות על היחידה היא תקדים מסוכן,…

— בני גנץ – Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) April 20, 2024

Meanwhile, Israeli Minister of Education Yoav Kisch vehemently opposed the proposed sanctions, describing them as a grave and disappointing mistake that Israel will endeavour to prevent.

מדינת ישראל היא מדינה ריבונית וצבא ההגנה לישראל הוא מקשה אחת – המהלך האמריקאי המסתמן להטלת סנקציות על גדוד 'נצח יהודה' הינו שגיאה קשה, מקוממת ומאכזבת.
מדינת ישראל תפעל למנוע זאת.

— יואב קיש Yoav Kisch (@YoavKisch) April 21, 2024

On another front, Israeli Labour Party leader Merav Michaeli called for the dismantling of the Netzah Yehuda unit.

“The violent and corrupt conduct of the Netzah Yehuda battalion and those around it has been known for years, and nothing has been done to stop it.”

סנקציות על גדוד נצח יהודה הן צעד חמור, קשה ומדאיג ביותר. התגובה להן צריכה להיות נפילה של אסימון, הכרה במציאות והבנה שהתנהלות ישראל בשטחים לא תוכל להמשך.

ההתנהלות האלימה והמושחתת של גדוד נצח יהודה ומסביבו ידועה כבר שנים, ולא נעשה דבר כדי להפסיק אותה. כבר לפני שנתיים הקימה ארה"ב…

— Merav Michaeli מרב מיכאלי (@MeravMichaeli) April 21, 2024

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Friday (19 April) that determinations had been made regarding accusations of Israeli violations of US laws prohibiting military assistance to units implicated in human rights abuses, indicating that results of the investigations would be forthcoming.