The Israeli military is investigating the aftermath of a strike on Rafah that may have unintentionally triggered stored weapons in a nearby compound, leading to a large fire that devastated part of a camp housing displaced Palestinians. According to spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, this is one of several possibilities being considered, although no verifiable evidence has been provided to support the claim.
Hagari stated during a press conference that the investigation aims to determine the cause of the significant fire. The Israeli military is exploring all potential scenarios, including the theory that weapons stored in a neighboring compound, unbeknownst to them, could have ignited due to the strike.
Additionally, Israel is reviewing social media footage from the night of the incident, which seems to depict secondary explosions. Hagari played an audio recording of an intercepted call purportedly between two individuals in Gaza discussing the Rafah strike. The speakers mentioned an ammunition warehouse explosion leading to subsequent blasts, describing the Israeli strike as 'small' and not resulting in a large crater.
Hagari emphasized that the General Staff's Fact-Finding and Assessment Mechanism is conducting a transparent investigation into the incident. He expressed regret for the loss of life, stating that Israel's conflict is with Hamas and not the people of Gaza.
When asked whether Israel could confirm that none of the civilians killed were victims of the initial strike but rather of the secondary explosions or fire, Hagari indicated that such confirmation could not be provided at that time, reiterating that the investigation is ongoing.
