A devastating attack near a food distribution center in Khan Younis has left at least 51 people dead and over 200 injured. The incident occurred when Israeli forces fired on a crowd gathered to receive aid, according to witnesses and rescue officials.
The victims were mostly Palestinians who had gathered near a junction leading to the eastern part of the city, hoping to receive flour from a World Food Programme (WFP) facility and a nearby community kitchen. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with Israeli drones firing two rockets, followed by tank fire from a distance of around 400-500 meters. The blasts caused widespread casualties, with many people injured and killed.
The local hospital, Nasser Hospital, was overwhelmed with the large number of injured, with some patients forced to lie on the floor while receiving treatment. The hospital is one of the few medical facilities still operating in Khan Younis.
An Israeli military spokesperson stated that there was a gathering near a food distribution truck in Khan Younis, close to an area where Israeli forces were operating. They reported receiving information about casualties from their own attack after the crowd moved closer, and are reviewing the incident.
The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents near food distribution centers in the Gaza Strip, with almost all recent casualties in Gaza related to the distribution of food aid rather than Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets.
Source: BBC