Tragedy Unfolds in Gaza as Over 100 Palestinians Lose Lives in Food Line Shooting
In a heartbreaking turn of events, more than 100 Palestinians lost their lives, and hundreds were left wounded when Israeli troops opened fire on people waiting in a food line in Gaza City. The incident has further escalated tensions, pushing the Palestinian death toll above 30,000 since the commencement of the war, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry and Hamas on Thursday.
Israeli authorities released aerial footage of aid trucks surrounded by crowds and attributed the incident to the crush of the crowd and Palestinian truck drivers. They claimed that fewer than 10 casualties resulted from Israeli gunfire.
The Gaza Health Ministry spokesman, Ashraf al-Qidra, revealed that at least 112 people were killed, and 760 others were wounded. Hamas, in a statement, accused Israeli forces of targeting a gathering of citizens awaiting food aid, emphasizing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza City, where the United Nations had previously warned of an unprecedented hunger crisis due to the Israeli siege.
Kamel Abu Nahel, a resident of Gaza, shared his harrowing experience, stating that he was shot in the leg by Israeli soldiers who opened fire on the crowds gathered at the distribution point in the middle of the night. Nahel expressed the desperate conditions faced by the residents, mentioning, “We’ve been eating animal feed for two months.”
The Israeli military issued a statement detailing the violent gathering of Gazan residents around humanitarian aid trucks, leading to looting and overcrowding. They asserted that warning shots were fired, and soldiers targeted the legs of looters in response.
International reactions have poured in, with the Palestinian Foreign Affairs Ministry condemning the incident as a “massacre” and calling for an immediate cease-fire to protect civilians. President Joe Biden expressed concern, acknowledging that the tragic event might impact cease-fire talks.
The situation continues to deteriorate, with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signaling preparations for an assault on the southern city of Rafah. The Palestinian Authority received $114 million in frozen tax revenue, providing a glimmer of financial relief amid the crisis.
The United Nations warns of a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, with a quarter of the population facing starvation, and 80% forced to flee their homes. Regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, have accused Israel of targeting civilians, urging increased safe passages for humanitarian aid.
As the international community grapples with the aftermath of this tragic incident, discussions between Hamas and Fatah in Moscow aim to form a unified Palestinian government for Gaza and the West Bank. The Palestinian death toll surpasses 30,000, while over 70,000 have been wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry’s latest report.