According to an eyewitness interviewed by the news agency AFP, thousands of starving people in Gaza started running towards the trucks that were close to the army’s assault vehicles.
Numerous countries and international organizations are demanding an independent investigation into the massacre that happened in the food aid line in Gaza on Thursday. The Secretary General of the UN, among others, has demanded an investigation into the events António Guterresthe United States and the United Arab Emirates.
The number of victims and the course of events are not yet completely clear. According to an eyewitness interviewed by the news agency AFP, thousands of starving people in northern Gaza started running towards the trucks that were close to the army’s assault vehicles.
According to Gaza health authorities, more than a hundred people were killed when Israeli forces fired on Palestinians who were in the aid line. An Israeli army spokesman said he could not confirm the casualty figures.
According to the Israeli army, most of the Palestinians died in the crowd by being trampled or trapped under the trucks when they tried to collect food parcels by force. A Palestinian eyewitness also told for the BBCthat most of the dead were under the trucks.
Israel also said it shot about ten Palestinians in the legs who approached “threateningly”. Israel said of the Times of Israel according to which less than ten were wounded or killed by Israeli forces.
The doctor who was there Yehia Al Masri told for the New York Times having seen dozens of dead and wounded people with gunshot wounds on the spot. He said he also saw people trampled or trapped under trucks.
Local journalist Khader Al Za’anoun in turn, the news channel said for CNNthat the chaos near the trucks only started when Israel started firing.
the BBC along with most of the victims were transported to Kamal Adwa and Al-Awda hospitals. It was reported from the hospital that almost all patients had gunshot wounds and shrapnel wounds.
The UN has estimated that famine threatens more than two million people in Gaza, i.e. the vast majority of the region’s population. The situation is particularly bad in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, where fighting and looting have made it almost impossible to deliver food.
Sources: AFP, STT, Reuters