UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike on a displaced persons camp in Rafah, which led to numerous casualties, and has called for an immediate end to the conflict.
"I condemn the actions of Israel, which resulted in the death of dozens of innocent civilians who were merely seeking refuge from this deadly conflict," Guterres stated on the social network X.
He further emphasized that there is no safe place in Gaza and that "this horror must stop."
Earlier, Guterres' spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, expressed the Secretary-General's alarm over Israel's non-compliance with recent International Court of Justice rulings, which ordered a halt to operations in Rafah.
Media reports citing UN diplomats indicate that the Security Council, prompted by Algeria, will convene an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss Israel's actions in Rafah.
In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the airstrike on the Rafah camp as a "tragic mistake."
"Despite all our efforts to avoid harming those not involved in the fighting, a tragic mistake unfortunately occurred. We are investigating this matter," Netanyahu said in a speech to the Israeli parliament.
According to the government press center in Gaza, the airstrike on the Rafah displaced persons camp resulted in the deaths of at least 45 people and injuries to 200 others.
