Israeli forces attack Palestinians waiting for aid; 19 killed
At least 19 people were killed and 23 injured in Gaza while waiting for aid near the Al-Kuwait roundabout as Israeli forces fired upon the crowd on Saturday, Gaza's health authority claimed, per AFP. The Hamas-run government in Gaza condemned the incident as a "massacre," while Israel denied the allegations and ordered a probe. Gaza's 2.4 million people, most of whom are confined to Rafah, face the threat of famine and starvation as Israel continues its raids.
Response from Gaza's health authority, media office
The Gazan health ministry confirmed several fatalities, while the media office in Gaza accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of perpetrating the attack. In a media statement, they claimed that Israeli forces targeted "the hungry people who were waiting for bags of flour and aid in a place far from posing any danger to the occupation." Separately, a local reporter, Khader Al-Za'anoun, noted that all victims were transported to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, situated east of Gaza City, according to CNN.
IDF refutes claims, accuses residents of looting
After the attack triggered outrage, the IDF dismissed its involvement and denied allegations by Hamas. In a statement, the IDF asserted that no such attack took place and instead blamed residents for looting the aid convoy. "This morning at 11:00am..., the IDF facilitated an aid convoy to deliver food to people in Northern Gaza. Upon its approach to the designated distribution point, the convoy was intercepted and looted by hundreds of Gazans, north of the humanitarian corridor," it alleged.
Similar incidents and ban on gatherings
The latest incident comes amid several reports of assaults by Israeli forces on civilians waiting for aid. According to Gaza-based government media office, such incidents have led to 400 deaths since the Israel-Hamas war began. On February 29, at least 112 people were killed and 760 injured in Gaza during a similar attack on Palestinians waiting for food aid. Just last week, Palestinian Internal Security Forces in Gaza City banned gatherings at Al Kuwait roundabout due to these recurring events.
More than 32,000 Palestinians killed
Meanwhile, over 32,000 people have been killed in ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Health Ministry said. As per independent reports, most of the casualties comprise women and children. Despite increased calls for a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has remained adamant. Qatar-mediated talks for a ceasefire during Ramzan have also remained inconclusive so far.
Know about Israel-Hamas conflict
The war between Israel and the Palestinian terror organization Hamas began on October 7. The conflict was triggered when Hamas launched cross-border attacks on Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking at least 240 hostages. In response, Israel launched retaliatory strikes in Hamas-controlled Gaza. The continued strikes have triggered widespread condemnation amid a massive humanitarian crisis.