Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has called on Israel to halt its operations in Rafah following a fire that killed a number of Gazan civilians.
Ms. Wong posted a statement and video on social media calling for a ceasefire in the region.
“Events of the last 24 hours underscore that we must see a humanitarian ceasefire now so that civilians can be protected,” she said.
“Israel’s strikes have had horrific and unacceptable consequences.
“Australia has been very clear that Israel must not proceed with its operation in Rafah—where more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are sheltering.”
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) says it is investigating the cause of the fire in Rafah that it says broke out in the process of hunting down two senior Hamas officials.
In a video posted to X, Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the operation had been intended as a targeted attack on a compound in Rafah that was being actively used by terrorists.
The strike resulted in the deaths of two senior Hamas officials, Yassin Rabia and Khaled Nagar, but the IDF says the resulting civilian deaths were not intentional.
According to Rear Admiral Hagari, the two Hamas officials who had been meeting in the targeted compound were responsible for the deaths of Israelis and had been actively commanding an operation that could have killed more people.
“Their deaths saved lives,” Rear Admiral Hagari said.
“Following the strike, due to unforeseen circumstances, a fire ignited, tragically taking the lives of Gazan civilians nearby.
“Despite our efforts to minimise civilian casualties during the strike, the fire that broke out was unexpected and unintended.”
The IDF says an investigation into the incident is ongoing and released video of the targeted attack, saying the amount of ammunition used could not have ignited a fire the size of the one that broke out.
Rear Admiral Hagari says the IDF suspects there may have been a stockpile of weapons near the compound that led to the fire.
“We’re investigating what caused the fire that resulted in this tragic loss of life,” he said.
Israel’s move to enter Rafah has been met with heavy international criticism, while the IDF maintains its operations in the city bordering Gaza and Egypt are legitimate.
Earlier this month, the IDF says it located the bodies of three Israelis killed by Hamas terrorists on October 7, within Rafah.
Shani Louk, 22, Amit Buskila, 28 and Itzhak Gelerenter, 56, were killed while fleeing the Nova Music Festival.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously stated the IDF’s mission is to “return all of our hostages, the living and the dead”.
Ms. Wong has remained firm in her stance, and says Australia joins the international community in urging Israel against any further escalation and loss of life.
“Do not go down this path,” Ms. Wong stated.
Ms. Wong said the amount of human suffering in Rafah was unacceptable.
“We continue to call for the release of all hostages by Hamas and for Israel to allow aid to flow at scale as demanded by the International Court of Justice,” she said.
Hamas has so far failed to return the estimated 125 Israeli hostages, including a baby and toddler, who’ve been held in Gaza since the Oct. 7 invasion into Israel.
According to the AJC Global Voice, Israel has so far delivered 375,000 tonnes of aid to Gaza.
