In Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Israeli forces opened fire on civilians heading to an aid distribution location early Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least three individuals and injuring dozens more, according to health officials and eyewitnesses. The Israeli military stated they fired warning shots at what they described as “suspects” who approached their troops.
This incident took place at the same spot where, a day prior, witnesses reported Israeli troops had similarly fired upon people moving toward an aid hub in southern Gaza operated by the internationally supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. On Monday, the army claimed it targeted several individuals who were said to pose a threat to the forces, emphasizing that this occurred about a kilometer away from the closed aid site. They denied obstructing access to the location.
Major aid organizations and the United Nations have criticized the new system established by the foundation for distributing aid, arguing that it breaches humanitarian principles and fails to meet the growing needs within Gaza, home to approximately 2 million residents. Experts have raised alarms about potential famine there due to the Israeli blockade, which was only partially lifted the previous month.
Elsewhere in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential area in the north, killing 14 people, according to health officials at Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals. Amongst the casualties were five women and seven children residing in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp. The Israeli military stated the airstrike targeted “terror objectives” in northern Gaza, without providing further details, maintaining that civilian impact is minimized, and attributing casualties to Hamas’s presence in populated areas.
In another separate occurrence, the Palestinian Authority reported a 14-year-old boy was shot dead by Israeli troops in the West Bank village of Sinjil. The Israeli military said the soldiers had neutralized an individual who allegedly threw two dangerous bottles at them.
Following the southern Gaza shooting, a Red Cross field hospital treated 50 injured individuals, including two fatalities, as reported by Hisham Mhanna, a spokesperson for the organization. The injured mostly had gunshot and shrapnel wounds, with a third fatality arriving at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. A wounded man, Moataz al-Feirani, recounted being shot in the leg while heading with a throng towards the aid site.
On the prior day, at least 31 individuals were slain and over 170 injured when large crowds journeyed to the aid site, local health officials and eyewitnesses revealed. These witnesses said the Israeli military, having told the crowd to disperse until the opening of the distribution site, later opened fire. The military denied targeting civilians and stated that troops fired warning shots at suspects advancing overnight.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates the aid distribution, refuted accounts of chaos and gunfire. They had communicated to aid recipients to adhere strictly to designated routes to ensure safety while traveling to the hub, alerting them of Israeli troops placed along the route.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his justice, stating it was unacceptable for Palestinians to risk their lives for aid. He demanded an independent investigation into the incidents. Israel and the U.S. claim the aid system was devised to bypass manipulation by Hamas, accused of exploiting provided assistance. The UN and aid agencies however say that the system breaches humanitarian standards by allowing Israel to dictate who receives aid.
Civilians must pass through areas controlled by Israeli forces to access aid sites managed by the foundation, as opposed to the UN aid network which directly distributes aid to where distressed Palestinians reside.
Conflict between Israel and Hamas sparked on October 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants initiated an offensive into Israel, resulting in around 1,200 deaths, predominantly among civilians, while capturing 251 hostages. Presently, 58 hostages are still detained by Hamas. The ongoing Israeli military offensive in retaliation has claimed the lives of over 54,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children.
While Israel reports having eliminated around 20,000 militants, it has not substantiated this claim with evidence. Negotiations over the hostages’ release continue, reflecting Hamas’s demands for a prisoner exchange, a ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal.
Israel remains steadfast in its military campaign, aiming to retrieve hostages and dismantle Hamas. It expresses intentions to maintain indefinite control over Gaza and facilitate emigration of its inhabitants, a plan met with international opposition as perceived forced expulsion. Meanwhile, Gaza health authorities, reporting directly to the Hamas administration, are deemed trustworthy by UN bodies despite ongoing scrutiny from Israel.