At least 27 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire while waiting for aid, Gaza authorities say
At least 27 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire as they attempted to collect aid near a distribution site in Gaza, local officials say.Civilians were fired upon by tanks, quadcopter drones, and helicopters near the al-Alam roundabout, about 1km (0.6 miles) from the aid distribution centre, a spokesman for Gaza's Hamas-run Civil Defence agency, Mahmoud Basal, said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said its troops fired shots after identifying suspects who moved towards them "deviating from the designated access routes".Israel previously denied shooting Palestinians in a similar incident on Sunday which the Hamas-run health ministry said killed 31 people and injured nearly 200.
The director of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Atef Al-Hout, described 24 dead and 37 wounded arriving with gunshot injuries on Tuesday morning after Israeli forces opened fire on "crowds of civilians waiting for aid in western Rafah."A foreign medic working in the area told the BBC it has been "total carnage" since 03:48 local time (01:48 BST) and that they have been overwhelmed with casualties.In a statement, the IDF said its troops were "not preventing the arrival of Gazan civilians to the humanitarian aid distribution sites." "The warning shots were fired approximately half a kilometer away from the humanitarian aid distribution site toward several suspects who advanced toward the troops in such a way that posed a threat to them," it added. Israel does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, into Gaza, making verifying what is happening in the territory difficult.Aid distribution in Gaza has recently been taken over by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an Israel- and US-backed group which aims to replace UN agencies and other organisations in delivering aid. The GHF system requires civilians to go to distribution centres situated in areas of Israeli military control, and staffed by armed American security contractors. The previous system delivered aid directly to communities.The GHF has been heavily criticised by UN bodies and the wider international community for "weaponising" aid and going against humanitarian principles.Responding to Tuesday's incident, the group said: "While the aid distribution was conducted safely and without incident at our site today, we understand that IDF is investigating whether a number of civilians were injured after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone. This was an area well beyond our secure distribution site and operations area."During Sunday's incident, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its hospital in Rafah received "a mass casualty influx" with 21 "declared dead upon arrival".The IDF said its findings from an initial inquiry showed its forces had not fired at people while they were near or within the aid centre.The GHF also denied the claims of injuries and casualties at its site and said they had been spread by Hamas.These denials were in direct contradiction to what dozens of civilian witnesses, NGO's, and health officials said.Responding to Sunday's incident, UN Secretary General António Guterres said in a statement: "I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday"I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable."Later on Monday, UN human rights chief Volker Türk told the BBC the way humanitarian aid is now being delivered is "unacceptable" and "dehumanising"."I think what it shows is utter disregard for civilians. Can you imagine people that have been absolutely desperate for food, for medicine, for almost three months and then they have to run for it or try to get it in the most desperate circumstances?" he told the BBC World Service's Newshour programme."It does show a huge dehumanisation of the people who are desperately in need."Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas' cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.At least 54,470 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 4,201 since Israel resumed its offensive, according to the territory's health ministry.
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Trump moves to deny visas to Harvard's international students
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A paramedic who survived an Israeli attack that left 15 aid workers dead in Gaza has given his first account of what happened. Assad al Nsasrah was one of two survivors from the attack on 15 March, when eight paramedics, six firefighters and a UN employee were gunned down by Israeli troops and subsequently buried in a mass grave. The IDF was forced to change its account of the attack several times as new evidence emerged, including details unearthed by Sky News. 19:54 Assad remained missing until 13 April, three weeks after the attack, when Israel said he had been detained. He spent a total of 37 days in custody before being released on 29 April. In an interview with the Guardian, Assad's employer, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), has now for the first time relayed key elements of the medic's testimony. That includes the allegation that he was tortured in Israeli custody, and that he heard Israeli troops shooting injured medics from close range as they begged for help. 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He departed shortly before 5am, with fellow paramedic Rifaat Radwan - who recorded their journey. By matching Rifaat's videos and their metadata to satellite imagery, Sky News was able to map out the exact route Assad took. Assad was the first to spot the missing ambulance, in a ditch by the side of the road. "They're lying there, just lying there," Assad said, as he brought the ambulance to a stop. "Quick! It looks like an accident." Seconds after he pulled the handbrake, a volley of shots rang out. The shooting would continue for at least five-and-a-half minutes. "Mum, forgive me. This is the path I chose, to help people," Rifaat says towards the end of the video. He would later be found dead, buried by Israeli troops in a mass grave along with 14 other aid workers and the crushed remains of their vehicles. "My son was very exhausted from this war," Rifaat's mother, Hajjah, later told Sky News. "This should not have been his reward." What happened to Assad? 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Farsakh told the Guardian that Assad escaped the soldiers' notice by hiding under al Heila's body, leading them to believe he was dead. When he was eventually spotted, Farsakh says, one of the soldiers pointed a rifle at his head. "He told the soldiers: 'Don't shoot. I am Israeli,'" Farsakh said. "And the soldier got a bit confused. Al Nsasrah's mother was a Palestinian citizen of Israel." Assad says he was stripped, blindfolded and placed in a ditch. At 6.55am, Assad managed to discreetly call a PRCS dispatcher. Sky News obtained an exclusive recording of this call, in which soldiers can be heard giving orders to prisoners and discussing the tactical situation. The testimony given by Assad lines up with that provided to Sky News by the only other survivor from that day, paramedic Munther Abed. Munther also says he was stripped, beaten and placed in a ditch. He also says that the soldiers forced him to act as a human shield during the evacuation of Rafah, which was taking place that day. Munther says that Assad was detained alongside him on the day of the attack. "He was accompanied by an Israeli officer, and was beaten before being placed next to me," Munther says. While Munther was released later that day, Assad would be held in detention for a total of 37 days. "Throughout his detention and questioning in Israel, he was held under a temporary custody order in accordance with the law," an IDF spokesperson said. "At the conclusion of the questioning, and based on the information gathered, it was decided not to issue a permanent detention order, and he was released back to the Gaza Strip in accordance with the law. The IDF operates in accordance with the law." The spokesperson declined to say what information led to Assad's release, or why his detention was kept secret for three weeks.
