Gaza Aid Horror: At least 25 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday when Israeli forces opened fire near hundreds of people gathered around aid trucks in central Gaza, according to local hospitals. The Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, which received many of the casualties, reported that 146 people were injured. Among them, 62 are in critical condition and were transferred to another medical facility in the area.
Eyewitness Describes Gaza Aid Horror
An eyewitness at the scene told Euronews that Israeli drones were hovering above before gunfire erupted from both tanks and drones. “
It was chaotic and bloody,” the witness said to Euronews, describing how the crowd desperately tried to flee as shots were fired. The Israeli military has not issued a comment on the incident.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, more than 410 Palestinians have been killed in connection with aid distribution operations since then.
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UN Officials Condemn ‘Weaponization of Food’ After Gaza Aid Killing Incident
“The weaponization of food for civilians … constitutes a war crime,” said Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, during a press briefing in Geneva.
“Desperate, hungry people in Gaza continue to face the inhumane choice of either starving to death or risk being killed while trying to get food,” he added.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), echoed the condemnation, describing the aid delivery system as “an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people.”
“It is a death trap costing more lives than it saves,” Lazzarini said during a briefing in Berlin.
Israel Defends Gaza Aid Mechanism, Denies Targeting Civilians
Israel has maintained that the current aid mechanism is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting humanitarian supplies for military gain. The military has repeatedly denied targeting civilians, stating that it only fires warning shots at individuals approaching troops “in a suspicious manner.”
The UN has called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the killings and has urged Israel to ensure the free entry of food and humanitarian aid into Gaza, “in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles.”
