EU foreign policy chief “appalled” by civilian casualties
The Guardian this morning:
The Rafah crossing has opened to allow a limited number of people to cross from beseiged Gaza into Egypt. It is expected that foreign nationals, dual-passport holders and some of the most seriously injured will be allowed through by Egyptian authorities, in a deal said to be brokered by Qatar.
Images showed families and vehicles queueing up to exit Gaza, amid reports that Egypt would allow in 81 seriously injured people. A line of ambulances was seen waiting to take the sick and injured.
AFP reports it was not immediately clear how many people managed to leave via Rafah on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, but live footage from the scene showed crowds of people entering the Palestinian side of the terminal. It said 400 foreigners and dual nationals were expected to make the crossing.
Like relief supplies trickling into Gaza, it’s not enough.
“Laws of war and humanity must always apply”
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, has issued a strongly-worded statement stressing that he is “appalled” by casualties at the Jabalia refugee camp and “laws of war and humanity must always apply.”
In a thread posted to social media he wrote:
Building on EU Council’s clear stance that Israel has the right to defend itself in line with international humanitarian law and ensuring the protection of all civilians, I am appalled by the high number of casualties following the bombing by Israel of the Jabalia refugee camp.
UNSG António Guterres reminded that IHL [international humanitarian law] cannot be applied selectively, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution. The right to self-defence should always be balanced by the obligation to spare civilians to the greatest extent possible.
Laws of war and humanity must always apply, including when it comes to humanitarian assistance. With the unfolding tragedy in Gaza, the European Union has been calling since last week for humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.
With each passing day, as the situation becomes more and more dire, this is more urgent than ever. The safety and the protection of civilians is not only a moral, but a legal obligation.
Borrell is not the only one appalled. According to The New Republic, “CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer was left stunned on Tuesday as an Israel Defence Forces spokesman confirmed that Israel was responsible for the bombing of a refugee camp in Gaza.” The Jabalia refugee camp lies north of the so-called safety zone declared by the Israelis.
The attacks “left scores of dead and wounded…. The Gaza Health Ministry and the director of Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital said hundreds of people were killed or injured in the attack,” per the Washington Post:
The blasts left a deep crater and crumbled buildings. Mahmoud Bassal, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense emergency services, said about 20 buildings were destroyed. The breakdown of dead and wounded was not immediately clear amid ongoing rescue efforts.
You were warned
“We…were focused on this commander,” IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht told Blitzer.
TNR:
“But even if that Hamas commander was there amidst all those Palestinian refugees who are in that Jabalya refugee camp, Israel still went ahead and dropped a bomb there attempting to kill this Hamas commander knowing that a lot of innocent civilians—men, women, and children—presumably would be killed?” Blitzer asked. “Is that what I’m hearing?”
“That’s not what you’re hearing,” Hect replied. “This is a very complicated battlespace. There could be infrastructure there, there could be tunnels there. We’re still looking into it.”
“But you know that there are a lot of refugees, a lot of innocent civilians—men, women, and children—in that refugee camp as well, right?” Blitzer asked again.
“This is the tragedy of war, Wolf. We as you know, we’ve been saying for days, move south. Civilians who are not involved with Hamas, please move south.”
“Yeah I’m just trying to get a bit more information. You knew there were civilians there, you knew there were refugees, all sorts of refugees, but you decided to still drop a bomb on that refugee camp attempting to kill this Hamas commander.”
CNN's Wolf Blitzer: You knew that there were innocent civilians in that refugee camp, right?
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) October 31, 2023
IDF spox: This is the tragedy of war. We told them to move south.
Blitzer: So you decided to drop the bomb anyway.
IDF spox: We’re doing everything we can to minimize civilian deaths. pic.twitter.com/oAtW7jV0pc
Apologies to those offended, but Hecht’s comments made me think of “Baghdad Bob.“
