Israeli attack on Palestinians near Gaza aid distribution centre kills at least 31, officials say
Israeli forces opened fire killing at least 31 Palestinians near a food aid distribution point in southern Gaza on Sunday morning, according to witnesses and local health officials.
Eyewitnesses said Israeli forces fired directly “from tanks and drones” on hundreds of people as they attempted to reach the Israel-approved aid distribution centre in the al-Mawasi area of western Rafah, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Wafa news agency.
More than 170 people were treated for injuries, according to officials in the Hamas-run Strip.
The local Palestinian Red Crescent said its medical teams had recovered the bodies of 23 Palestinians and treated another 23 injured at the aid site set up by the US-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The Israeli military claimed it was “currently unaware of injuries caused by (Israeli military) fire within the humanitarian aid distribution site”. “The matter is still under review,” the military added.
Backed by the US and Israel but not endorsed by the UN, the GHF’s distribution of aid has been marred by chaos, and multiple witnesses have reported incidents of Israeli troops firing on crowds near the delivery sites. Before Sunday, at least six people had been killed and more than 50 wounded, according to local health officials.
The foundation says the private security contractors guarding its sites did not fire on the crowds. The GHF claimed it delivered aid “without incident” early on Sunday.
Chaos ensued when Israeli forces began firing at a roundabout around 1km from the distribution site, according to multiple eyewitnesses.
Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd, told the Associated Press that “there was fire from all directions, from naval warships, from tanks and drones”.
Ibrahim Abu Saoud said troops opened fire at people moving toward the aid distribution centre, killing dozens, including women. He said he saw many people with gunshot wounds, including a young man who he said had died at the scene. “We weren’t able to help him,” he said.
Mohammed Abu Teaima, 33, said he saw Israeli forces open fire and kill his cousin and another woman as they were heading to the hub. He said his cousin was shot in the chest and died at the scene.
“They opened heavy fire directly toward us,” he said as he was waiting outside the Red Cross field hospital for word on his wounded brother-in-law.
Journalist Mohammed Ghareeb told the BBC that rescue crews could not access the area, which is under Israeli control. “This forced residents to use donkey carts to transport victims to the field hospital.”
The foundation began aid deliveries last Monday after Israel lifted its aid blockade. But Palestinians appeared to have heeded warnings, including from Hamas, about biometric screening procedures employed at the foundation’s aid distribution sites. Israeli officials said the process allowed screening of recipients to exclude anyone found to be connected with Hamas.
