“Oh hell, what do mine eyes
with grief behold?”
– John Milton, Paradise Lost
By Jeffrey St. Clair, CounterPunch
People were saying their evening prayers when the IDF attacked the refuge camp at Tel al-Sultan in southern Gaza, where thousands had fled from the Israeli invasion of Rafah. They were told by the Israelis this was a safe zone, a secure place to shelter their children and grandparents.

“For your safety, the Israeli Defense Force is asking you to leave these areas immediately and to go to known shelters in Deir el Balah or the humanitarian area in Tel al-Sultan through Beach Road,” read one of the leaflets dropped in Rafah a few days before. “Don’t blame us after we warned you.”
The safe zone was a tent city amid the dunes–one of dozens scattered along more than 16 kilometers up the Gaza coast. The tents were made of plastic, which whipped and frayed in the coastal winds–a thin layer of protection against the sun and sand that soon turned into a death trap.
Recent Posts
House Bill Would Let Marco Rubio Strip Passports Over Political Speech
September 15, 2025
Take Action Now Provision would let the Secretary of State deny or revoke passports over alleged “material support” as critics warn of thought…
Targeting Venezuela, Trump Escalates U.S. Campaign Of Aggression In Latin America
September 15, 2025
Take Action Now The US and Latin American right have long mobilized to remove challenges to their traditional privileges and control.By Jonathan…
GOP-Led Congressional Committee Votes To Block Trump From Rescheduling Marijuana
September 14, 2025
Take Action Now Can the Trump administration, or any administration, declare people guilty and treat them as criminals, absent the transparent legal…
Never Forget What?
September 13, 2025
Take Action Now Never forget meant never forgive. Never forget meant someone would pay. And with my Muslim name, my South Asian heritage, I knew who…