On May 26, Israeli air forces launched an airstrike that killed at least 45 people in a tented area in Rafah, Gaza. The incident triggered outrage across the globe as it came despite an order by the UN’s top court asking Israel to “immediately halt” its military offensive.
Netizens have been uploading scores of posts condemning Israel’s attack on Rafah. The phrase ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ has been trending on social media. On Instagram alone, an AI-generated image depicting the situation has been shared more than 33 million times.
Several celebrities have shared Instagram stories and posts on X, raising concerns over the Israeli bombing of the designated safe zone in Rafah. The hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah has already attracted more than 195,000 posts and millions of views on TikTok.
Netanyahu: “Tragic mistake” had been made
Media reports suggest Israel has been conducting military operations in Rafah for the past couple of weeks, stressing that entering the territory and launching an attack is necessary in order to fulfill its mission of defeating Hamas militants.
Israel’s top military prosecutor has described the Rafah camp strike as “very grave” and said an investigation will be conducted. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted in an address to the Israeli parliament that a “tragic mistake” had been made.
The brutal Israel-Hamas fighting has been raging on since October 7, as Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli cities and killed some 1,200 people. The Israeli military’s retaliatory strikes, on the other hand, have already claimed at least 36,000 lives.
Reactions from celebrities and global leaders: