JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz strongly denied allegations made by the left-leaning Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The report in question claimed that Israeli soldiers had been instructed to open fire at Palestinians approaching Gaza’s humanitarian aid sites. Dubbing the report as “malicious falsehoods aimed at defaming” the army, both leaders refuted its assertions.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 500 Palestinians have died and countless others have been injured while seeking food since the inception of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s (GHF) food distribution efforts roughly a month ago. Eyewitness accounts from Palestinians suggest that Israeli forces fired at groups of people traveling to these sites. The Israeli military acknowledged investigating cases where civilians suffered harm near these aid locations but dismissed claims of “intentional fire toward civilians” as stated in Haaretz’s article.
The foundation, supported by an American private contractor, has been distributing food packages at four primary locations across Gaza, primarily targeting the region’s southern areas. “GHF is not aware of any of these incidents, but such serious claims cannot be ignored. We urge Israel to investigate thoroughly and disclose the findings promptly,” the organization expressed in a social media statement.
Desperation for food due to Israel’s extended 2 1/2 month blockade, which restricted entrance of all food, water, and medicine until GHF sites were operational, has led to widespread chaos and violence for Palestinians traveling to these aid locations. Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmyiha from Shifa Hospital disclosed that on Friday, eight deceased individuals arrived from a GHF site in Netzarim, though the cause of their deaths remained unclear. A GHF spokesperson contested the report, claiming ignorance of any occurrences on that day.
Additionally, the hospital received 20 other bodies, reportedly victims of airstrikes across northern Gaza. Many Palestinians journey for hours, passing through areas patrolled by Israeli troops, where gunfire is regularly heard as soldiers reportedly attempt to manage crowds. The Israeli army, however, maintains that only warning shots have been fired. One displaced man, Mohammad Fawzi from Rafah, recounted to media that he reached the Shakoush site early morning, only to return with empty boxes and no food after facing gunshots for several hours.
Doctors Without Borders criticized the aid distribution process, calling it “a slaughter dressed as humanitarian aid” and demanded its immediate discontinuation. More than 6,000 individuals have perished and over 20,000 wounded in Gaza since the ceasefire collapsed in March. According to the region’s health ministry, over 56,000 deaths and 132,000 injuries have been recorded since the conflict’s onset, though no clear distinction between civilian and combatant casualties has been noted. Israel, however, claims it targets only militants, attributing civilian fatalities to Hamas for operating within populated zones.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas began following an attack led by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left approximately 1,200 dead and around 250 individuals abducted. Presently, around 50 remain as captives in Gaza. Recent casualties also include six deaths and ten injuries from Israeli airstrikes targeting civilians near the Martyrs Roundabout in Bureij Camp, as per officials at Awda Hospital in Nuseirat.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, called on leaders to display “political courage” and pursue a ceasefire, akin to previous agreements between Israel and Iran. Moreover, Guterres urged a return to the UN’s longstanding aid distribution system in Gaza, highlighting that Israeli military activities have created “a humanitarian crisis of dreadful proportions.”
“The quest for food should never become a death sentence,” Guterres emphasized during a recent news briefing.