IDF Suspects Flammable Materials Set Fire in Rafah

The IDF says a separate hidden storehouse of weapons may have caused the fire that killed dozens of Palestinians in Rafah. The military thinks a flammable substance somewhere close to the initial air strike (meant to kill two Hamas terrorists) ended up causing a secondary explosion, spreading fire into a community of Gaza’s refugees. The Palestinian Ministry of Health says 45 people are dead with dozens wounded. An independent investigation is being carried out to understand how this happened. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu called it a tragic mishap, while the international community is referring to it as a massacre. The IDF says they took precautionary measures to ensure civilian safety during the planning of the operation. Tuesday, May 28th, 2024 the IDF released the following photo on their Instagram page with this caption:

The targeted strike in Rafah, 1.7 km from the humanitarian area, used precise munitions carrying 34kg of explosives to eliminate 2 senior Hamas terrorists.

We are looking into the possibility of secondary explosions from a Hamas ammunition warehouse near the civilian compound and over 100 meters away from the strike site—causing the fire that tragically took civilian lives.

We are investigating the cause of the fire and will continue to operate in accordance with international law.