(Bloomberg) — An Egyptian soldier was killed Monday in a clash with Israeli forces at a Gaza border crossing, while an Israeli airstrike on Sunday killed at least 40 Palestinians at a camp for displaced people, further fueling regional tensions over Israel and Hamas. war.
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Egypt’s military confirmed that a border guard was killed at the Rafah crossing on Monday, in a bloodshed that threatened to escalate tensions with Israel.
In addition, the airstrike on the camp northwest of the Gaza city of Rafah drew international condemnation. Israel acknowledged the deaths of dozens of people during the strike, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called “a tragic mistake” in a speech to the Knesset.
Israeli leaders said they were still investigating both incidents.
In the border dispute, the Israeli military said “a shooting incident took place on the Egyptian border” and that talks with Egypt were ongoing, without providing more details.
Israel said the airstrike late Sunday on a tent community in Rafah was based on “precise intelligence” and killed two “senior” officials of Hamas, which was designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union. But governments around the world were quick to condemn Israel for the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron said he was “outraged,” while EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said he was “shocked.”
The White House said in a statement that images of innocent civilians killed in the attack were “heartbreaking.”
“Israel has the right to go after Hamas, and we understand that this attack killed two key Hamas terrorists responsible for attacks on Israeli civilians,” the National Security Council said in a statement. “But as we have been clear, Israel must take all possible precautions to protect civilians.”
Israeli forces began operations early this month around the outskirts of Rafah, in southern Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will attack the city because it is the last bastion of Hamas, an Iran-backed Islamist group, and because several thousand fighters are stationed there.
The US and other countries fear mass casualties among Palestinian civilians in Rafah and have urged Israel to cancel or sharply limit an attack to prevent harm to innocents. The White House said Monday it was “actively working” with the IDF and partners in the region to better assess what happened.
The US and others have also expressed concern that an Israeli attack on Rafah would worsen ties with Egypt. The two Middle Eastern countries signed a peace agreement in 1979, which is seen as crucial for Israel’s security.
Egypt has been very vocal about the war in Gaza and has consistently called on Israel to agree to a ceasefire.
The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7 when thousands of Hamas fighters entered southern Israel from Gaza, killing 1,200 people and kidnapping 250. Israel’s counterattack killed about 35,000 Gazans, according to the Hamas-led Health Ministry.
–With help from Justin Sink.
(Updates throughout with additional explanations, context)
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