Israeli Strikes on Rafah Kill 22, Including 18 Children

By: Donald V. Watkins

Copyrighted and Published on April 21, 2024: Updated at 4 P.M.

An Editorial Opinion

The Israeli genocide of innocent Palestinian babies, child, women, and men continues, unabated and with the full support of the United States.  It is inexcusable, inhumane, and shameful. 

Israel's campaign of genocide is also U.S. policy.  This genocide would not be possible without the U.S. aid that is used to inflict it upon the Palestinians in Gaza.

On Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a foreign aid package that allocates $26.38 billion for Israel.  This aid package is expected to pass the Senate on Tuesday. President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law on the same day.

The aid money is allocated for the following purposes:

• $5.2 billion go to replenishing and expanding Israel’s missile and rocket defense system;

• $3.5 billion for buying advanced weapons systems and $1 billion to enhance weapons production;

• $4.4 billion for other supplies and services to Israel; and

• $9.2 billion for humanitarian purposes, including in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

Over the weekend, Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah killed 22 people, including 18 children.  Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million has sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

The Israel-Hamas war has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, devastated Gaza's two largest cities, and left a swath of destruction across the territory.

The war in Gaza was sparked by an October 7, 2023, raid into southern Israel in which Hamas and other militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages.  Israel says Hamas militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

The war has killed at least 34,049 Palestinians and wounded another 76,901, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.  The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count but says at least two-thirds have been children and women.

Israel blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the militants fight in dense, residential neighborhoods.  The military says it has killed over 13,000 Hamas fighters.  If this claim is true, the remaining 21,000 babies, children, men, and women who were killed must be considered innocent Palestinians or collateral damage.

This is a genocide in progress.  At this point, everybody knows that the United States is NOT working to stop the genocide of Palestinians in Garza.  Instead, America is openly aiding and abetting this genocide.

I do not support the genocide of any ethic group for any reason.