Deadly Clash Near Aid Distribution Center
A reported 27 people are dead after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians near a humanitarian aid distribution center. Witnesses describe a chaotic scene with gunfire coming from multiple directions.
Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for the Gaza Civil Defense, said the attack happened on a street about a kilometer from the aid center. He claimed Israeli forces used tanks, drones, and helicopters to attack civilians.
The Israeli military said its troops were not trying to prevent people from reaching the aid center. Instead, they claim to have fired on suspected individuals who deviated from a designated path.
This incident is not the first of its kind. Just days ago, a similar event occurred, with Hamas claiming 31 people were killed and nearly 200 injured. Israel denied any involvement, despite accounts from multiple eyewitnesses, NGOs, and health officials.
Eyewitness Accounts
Dr. Atef al-Hout, director of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said Israeli forces fired on people waiting for aid in the western part of the city of Rafah, killing 24 and injuring 37.
A foreign doctor working in the area told the BBC that the violence began at 3:48 am local time and that hospitals were overwhelmed with wounded patients.
In a video posted by a local journalist, Nadim Sarab, a Palestinian eyewitness, described the scene. He said he and his uncle were walking to the aid center around 2:00 am when the shooting started.
“We used a wall for cover,” Sarab said. “People were falling in front of us. My uncle tried to help the wounded, but I told him to come back.”