ReutersAt least 27 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fires while trying to receive help near a distribution site in Gaza, according to local officials.
Civilians were dismissed by tanks, quadcopter drones and helicopters near the Al-Alam roundabout, about 1 km (0.6 mile) of the aid site, said a spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense Agency, Mahmoud Basal.
Israeli defense forces (FDI) said that his troops had fired after identifying suspects who moved to them “deviating from the designated access routes”.
Israel previously denied having shot Palestinians in a similar incident on Sunday which, according to the Ministry of Health managed by Hamas killed 31 people and injured nearly 200.
His refusal was in direct contradiction with what dozens of civil, NGOs and health officials said.
After Tuesday morning’s incident, the director of Nasser Hospital of Khan Younis, Atef Al-Hout, described 24 dead and 37 injured arriving with gunshots, saying that Israeli forces had opened fire on “crowds of civilians waiting for help in western Rafah”.
A foreign doctor working in the region told the BBC that it was “total carnage” since 03:48 (01:48 BST) and that they had been overwhelmed by victims.
In a video shared by a local journalist, witness Nadeem Zarab said that he and his uncle began to go to the aid center at 2:00 am (00:00 BST). When they reached the roundabout “The shooting began helicopter, tanks and soldiers of elite shooters,” he added.
“Firing came from all directions. We started using the wall as a blanket, protecting ourselves near it.”
“People, running, started to collapse in front of us. My uncle could not bear it, he saw someone get shot just in front of him, so he tried to run and catch him. But I said to him:” Come back, come back! Where are you going “”
Another eyewitness, which did not want to be appointed, told BBC Arabic: “I am moved from Khan Younis and responsible for a family of five.
“The Israeli army has informed us that we would receive aid through the American Committee.
“When we arrived, the checkpoint opened its doors at six o’clock. Suddenly, shots broke out of all directions.
They added: “Hundreds were injured or killed, the scene was horrible. After moving only two hundred meters, the machine guns started to shoot us.”
A third eyewitness, which did not want to be named either, said they had seen “intense bombing of planes and tanks” after arriving at the aid center around 05:00 (3:00 BST).
Witness declarations are not clear if people have been killed in an incident or more incidents throughout the night.
In a statement, the FDIs said that its troops “did not prevent the arrival of Gazan civilians at humanitarian aid distribution sites”.
“The warning strokes were taken to about half a kilometer from the humanitarian aid distribution site to several suspects who have advanced to the troops so that the threat,” he added.
Israel does not allow international press organizations, including BBC, in Gaza, which makes it difficult to verify what is happening in the territory.
Getty imagesAID Distribution has recently been taken over by Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group supported by Israel and the United States which aims to replace the United Nations agencies and other organizations.
The GHF system requires civilians to go to distribution centers located in Israeli military control areas with armed American security entrepreneurs.
The Palestinians are forced to browse long distances to recover the help – then take boxes weighing up to 20 kg (44 pounds) at home or shelters.
The previous United Nations system has provided aid directly to communities – to 400 Gaza sites. He also distributed aid on the basis of a population register, guaranteeing all foods.
The new system seems to work according to the first arrival, the first service, which means that the Palestinians meet overnight to secure a place at the front of the line – before a race to collect supplies when the aid site opens for hours later.
The GHF has been strongly criticized by the UN bodies and the broader international community for the “armament” of aid and creating a system that goes against humanitarian principles.
Responding to the Tuesday incident, the group said: “Although the aid distribution was carried out safely and without incident on our site today, we understand that the FDIs examine if a certain number of civilians were injured after having exceeded the security-designated corridor and in a closed military zone. It was a zone far beyond our distribution site and our secure operating area.”
Getty imagesThe United Nations Human Rights Head, Volker Türk, said: “For a third day, people were killed around a help distribution site”.
“The Palestinians were presented the most stimulating choices: die of famine or risk of killing while trying to access the meager food which is made available through a militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism of Israel.”
During the incident on Sunday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that its Rafah hospital had received “a mass influx” with 21 “declared dead on arrival”.
The FDI said that its conclusions of an initial investigation showed that its forces had not shot people when they were close or inside the aid center.
The GHF also denied the allegations of injury and victims on its site and said they had been distributed by Hamas.
Responding to the Sunday incident, UN secretary general, António Guterres, said in a statement: “I am dismayed by reports from Palestinians killed and injured while asking for help from Gaza yesterday
“I call an immediate and independent investigation into these events and that the authors must be held responsible.”
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the cross -border attack in Hamas on October 7, 2023, during which around 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 54,470 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 4 201 since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, according to the Ministry of Health of the Territory.
