The Palestinian ambassador to the UK has said eight of his relatives who were sheltering in the southern Gaza town of Rafah have been killed in an Israeli strike.
Husam Zomlot identified a girl in a distressing photo that has been widely shared online as his wife’s seven-year-old cousin Sidra Hassouna. In the image that has been posted on social media, Sidra’s body can be seen dangling from the ruins of a building after attacks on Rafah on Monday.
Sharing a blurred version of the image, alongside pictures of his other relatives, Zomlot posted on X on Wednesday: “This is seven-year-old Sidra, the cousin of my wife. The impact of the Israeli missile was so powerful it flung her out, leaving her mutilated body dangling from the ruins of the destroyed building in Rafah 48 hours ago.”
He said Sidra’s twin, Suzan, had also been killed, as had their 15-month-old sibling, Malik; their parents, Karam and Amouna; their grandparents Suzan and Fouzy; and their uncle Muhammad.
“The family had been displaced from the north of Gaza and took shelter in Rafah. We will be relentless until those responsible [are] brought to justice,” Zomlot said.
Politicians in the UK sent their condolences to Zomlot and his family. The Labour MP Richard Burgon said: “Husam, my deepest condolences. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you and your family are going through. A ceasefire is so desperately needed to put an end to the killing and suffering and those responsible for this must be held to account.”
Zarah Sultana, another Labour MP, said: “My deepest condolences to you and your family for your immeasurable loss, Husam. For Sidra, and the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been killed, we will continue to fight for accountability and justice.”
The former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and the Labour MP Nadia Whittome also sent condolences.
On Monday Israel launched attacks on Rafah amid an operation to free two hostages. Health officials in Gaza said the operation killed at least 67 Palestinians.
There are growing international concerns about the prospect of a ground offensive on Rafah, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. At least 28,663 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza, according to its health ministry, which is run by Hamas.
Late on Friday, the International Court of Justice rejected a South African request to impose urgent measures to safeguard Rafah, but also stressed that Israel must respect earlier measures imposed last month at a preliminary stage in a landmark genocide case.
The US president, Joe Biden, on Thursday again told Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, that he should not proceed with military action in Rafah without a credible and executable plan to protect Palestinian civilians, the White House said.
Western leaders are hoping that a round of meetings at a security conference in Munich on Friday will put overwhelming pressure on Israel not to press ahead with a ground offensive in the city.
Israel’s war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s unprecedented offensive of 7 October last year, in which about 1,200 people were killed and another 250 abducted.
Although the war retains strong public support in Israel, a small but vocal group of anti-war protesters gathered in Jerusalem’s Paris Square on Friday. They held up signs saying “stop the genocide” and “Palestinian lives still matter” as they chanted “From the river to the sea, freedom and equality”.
Yonah Benstein, 26, who joined the protesters, said the demonstration’s message was “unique”. “Since the war, there have been few protests and messages that Palestinian lives matter, especially not here in daylight,” Benstein said. “Since 7 October, this voice, which was small, has been wiped out or silenced.”
The Israeli police detained two protesters who were holding “stop the genocide” signs.
The Guardian has contacted the Israel Defense Forces for comment.
