Violence erupts near a food distribution center in Gaza, leaving many dead and injured. The United Nations is calling for an independent investigation.
People waiting for food near the center in Rafah heard gunshots. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the US and Israel, runs the center.
The Red Cross says 179 people were injured, with 21 confirmed dead. Hamas’s civil defense unit reports 31 fatalities.
Conflicting accounts
Israel’s military denies shooting civilians, saying reports are “untrue”. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation calls the reports “false and misleading”, claiming no evidence of an attack on the center.
However, it’s hard to verify facts since Israel doesn’t allow foreign media, including the BBC, into Gaza.
UN Response
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply disturbed” by the reports and calls for an independent investigation. He wants those responsible to be held accountable.
Israel’s foreign ministry responded on social media, saying Guterres’ statement is “shameful” and criticizing him for not mentioning Hamas.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the BBC that the current aid distribution method is “unacceptable” and “dehumanizing”.
The Hamas civil defense unit says the incident occurred near a US-backed aid distribution point in the Tal al-Sultan area of Rafah, where thousands of civilians were present.
The Red Cross reports that most of the 179 injured people were shot or hurt by shrapnel while trying to reach the food distribution point.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) says its team at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis treated several injured people, some critically. Patients reported being shot from all directions, including from drones, helicopters, warships, tanks, and Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli military claims it did not shoot civilians in the area and accuses Hamas of spreading rumors to prevent people from accessing aid. Israel released drone footage allegedly showing armed men shooting civilians, but the BBC has not been able to verify the timing and location of the footage.
A senior Israeli military official says soldiers only fired warning shots at suspected individuals about 1 km away from the GHF center before aid distribution began, and claims there is no connection to the incident.
US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Hakobyan, accused major media outlets of “reckless and irresponsible” reporting, citing drone footage and eyewitness accounts that he claims show no shooting, no chaos, and no casualties.
He also accused Hamas sources of intentionally distorting facts to fuel anti-Jewish hatred, which he believes is leading to violence against Jews in the US.
Sources: BBC