Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale was killed in Gaza's city of Rafah earlier this week by suspected Israeli tank fire, becoming the first "international casualty" in the war. His mortal remains are on their way to India as the UN and Israel are investigating the events of the incident.
The case by South Africa comes amid international alarm over Israel's military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians have taken refuge. Earlier this year, the ICJ ordered Israel to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza.
The Israeli military posted a video of militants operating on a UNRWA site east of Rafah, but the time and identities of the men seen have not been disclosed. Israel has had its share of clashes with the UN, as the latter strongly opposes the war in Gaza and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire.
Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale, who took premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2022, died after the UN-marked vehicle he was travelling in was struck on the way to war-torn Rafah. The UN believed that shots fired from an Israeli tank may have resulted in Col Kale's death.
This would be the first arms transfer for Israel by the US after the Biden administration paused a shipment of 3,500 bombs to its close ally earlier this month. Democrats have urged Biden to limit weapons supply to Israel, while Republicans have criticised lessening of military support.
Col Kale took premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2022. He joined the UN as a Security Coordination Officer in the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS) around two months ago.
Permanent Representative of India to United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj on May 13 unequivocally condemned the ‘shocking’ attacks on Israel at United Nations. Watch to know more!
Israel plans to step up operations in Rafah, believing it to be Hamas' last stronghold, despite mounting international concerns over a surge of civilian deaths. About 110,000 people have fled Rafah as all crossings have been closed, causing food and fuel supplies to reach a critical low.
The Biden administration said Israel's use of US-supplied weapons may have violated international law, but specific instances could not be confirmed due to wartime conditions. There has been widespread concerns over Israel's indiscriminate use of weapons for causing "excessive" civilian harm.
The UN voted overwhelmingly on granting additional Palestinian rights on Friday, with 143 members in favour, nine against and 25 abstaining. Israel's act of protest was intended to show a mirror that the UN was destroying the principles inscribed in its own Charter.
The Israeli military's remarks came as Joe Biden threatened not to supply offensive weapons to Israel for their use in an all-out assault on Rafah, the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza.
President Biden's decision to withhold offensive weapons followed escalating tensions and calls for restraint amid the ongoing conflict. Netanyahu's statement underscored Israel's commitment to defending its interests regardless of external factors.
Biden's remarks mark the strong public warning of Israel as the US seeks to deter an Israeli assault on Rafah that has led to a rift between the two close allies. This came after the US paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns of an invasion in the southern Gaza city.
The United States has halted a shipment of powerful bombs to Israel, a US official said, as Washington puts pressure on its ally to avoid a full-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip's crowded southern city of Rafah and give more time for ceasefire talks.
The Israel military announced late Monday that it carried out "targeted strikes" in Rafah, despite intense international alarm, which killed 20 Hamas militants. Hours after the evacuation of Rafah was announced, Hamas approved a ceasefire proposed by Egypt and Qatar.
Israel's attack on Rafah, which has attracted international criticism, has already claimed the lives of five Palestinians. Meanwhile, Hamas has accepted a ceasefire proposal by Egypt and Qatar that has increased the chances of a brief pause in the seven-month-long war.
Israel’s closest allies, including the United States, have repeatedly said that Israel shouldn’t attack Rafah. The looming operation has raised global alarm over the fate of around 1.4 million Palestinians sheltering there.
Smoke could be seen rising from Rafah Monday afternoon, although the cause was unclear. This came after the Israeli army ordered tens of thousands of people in the southern Gaza city of Rafah to begin evacuating.
Some Palestinian families were leaving areas east of Rafah on Monday after receiving evacuation orders from the Israeli military, witnesses in the city on the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt confirmed.
Hamas had claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on the Kerem Shalom border crossing in which three Israeli soldiers were killed. The Jewish country launched a counter-attack on Rafah.
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