Israeli army says it did not open fire on crowd at US-backed aid hub in Gaza
LAST UPDATE
|
1 hr ago
THE ISRAELI ARMY said Sunday that it 'did not fire at civilians' within or around a US-backed aid centre in southern Gaza, hours after rescuers blamed Israeli fire for dozens of deaths and injuries near the site.
'In recent hours, false reports have been spread, including serious allegations against the IDF (military) regarding fire toward Gazan residents in the area of the humanitarian aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip,' the army said in a statement. 'Findings from an initial inquiry indicate that the IDF did not fire at civilians while they were near or within the humanitarian aid distribution site and that reports to this effect are false.'
The IDF's statement comes after reports that its forces opened fire on people near a US-backed aid distribution site in Gaza, killing at least 31 and wounding more than 170, according to the Palestinian territory's civil defence agency.
Witnesses said that drones and tanks began firing on the crowd as people waited for food at a hub run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Witnesses also said some people we also killed and injured by Israeli gunfire.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said that '31 people were killed and more than 176 injured… after Israeli gunfire targeted thousands of civilians near the American aid centre in Rafah', in southern Gaza.
A GHF spokesperson has dismissed the reports as 'untrue and fabricated', a statement contradicted by medical personnel at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, where many of the injured were taken.
'There's been a shooting at the GHF aid distribution complex in Rafah,' said British doctor Victoria Rose.
'The ambulances haven't stopped coming,' she said.
British surgeon Dr Victoria Rose speaks from Nasser Hospital where she says "the ambulances haven't stopped coming" after reports of an Israeli attack near an aid distribution site in Gaza.
pic.twitter.com/VrHZYDdqla
— Sky News (@SkyNews)
June 1, 2025
Sameh Hamuda, 33, told news organisation AFP he had walked from Gaza City and spent the night with relatives in a tent near Rafah before heading to the aid centre at around 5 am to wait among a crowd of people.
'They began distributing aid, but suddenly quadcopter drones opened fire on the people, and tanks started shooting heavily. Several people were killed right in front of me,' he said.
'I ran and survived. Death follows you as long as you're in Gaza.'
Abdullah Barbakh, 58, described 'chaos, screaming, and overcrowding' at the scene.
'The army opened fire from drones and tanks. Chaos broke out, and the area was filled with martyrs and wounded. I don't understand why they call people to the aid centres and then open fire on them,' he said.
'What are we supposed to do?'
Palestinians carry the body of a person who was killed as they were heading to a Gaza aid hub
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Asked for comment, the Israeli military said it was 'unaware of injuries caused by IDF (army) fire within the Humanitarian Aid distribution site. The matter is still under review.'
A GHF spokesperson said the reports were 'untrue and fabricated'.
'All aid was distributed today without incident,' the spokesperson said, adding that 'these fake reports have been actively fomented by Hamas'.
Tom Potoka, a consultant plastic surgeon at Nasser Hospital told Al Jazeera about the scenes following there today.
'The five operating theatres upstairs were fully occupied with patients who came in from this,' Potoka said.
The patients he had seen had a range of injuries including gunshot wounds, head injuries, and trauma to major blood vessels and abdominal organs.
Advertisement
#Gaza
: aid distribution has become a death trap.
Mass casualties including scores of injured & killed among starving civilians due to gunshots this morning. This is according to reports from international medics on ground.
A distribution point by the Israeli- American plan was…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini)
June 1, 2025
Today's attack is the latest in a series of fatal incidents at aid centres in Gaza, where the UN says the entire population is at risk of famine.
On Tuesday, one person
was killed and another 48 were injured
, mostly by Israeli gunfire, at another aid distribution hub run by the GHF, a private organisation backed by the US government.
On Thursday, four people were killed when a crowd of desperate people
stormed a UN World Food Programme warehouse.
In the Gaza Strip, aid is only trickling in after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, and the United Nations has reported looting of its trucks and warehouses.
'Death traps, not aid points'
Israel has faced mounting international condemnation over the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
The UN's World Food Programme has called on Israel 'to get far greater volumes of food assistance into Gaza faster', saying desperation was 'contributing to rising insecurity'.
The GHF, which is administered by contracted US security with support from Israeli troops, began distributing food in the Gaza Strip on 26 May.
The United Nations and other major aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation, saying it violated basic humanitarian principles, and appeared crafted to cater to Israeli military objectives.
The head of UNRWA, the UN's main aid agency in Palestine, aid distribution in Gaza has become 'a death trap'.
'With competing narratives and disinformation campaigns in full gear, international media must be allowed into Gaza to independently report on the ongoing atrocities including this morning's heinous crime,' said Philippe Lazzarini.
Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli strike in Gaza City
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
An Oxfam worker based in Gaza told
The Journal
this week that the GHF model is 'humiliating and insulting to the people of Gaza'.
'Why do we have to create a new humanitarian distribution system when we've been on the ground for decades?'
Officially a private effort, GHF said it had distributed 2.1 million meals as of Friday.
In a statement today, Hamas accused Israeli forces operating in Rafah of committing 'a new massacre against hungry civilians who had gathered at the so-called 'humanitarian aid' distribution sites', calling them 'mass death traps, not humanitarian relief points'.
Truce talks
The Palestinian militant group said yesterday that it had responded positively to a US-backed ceasefire proposal, but Washington's main negotiator criticised Hamas's reply as 'totally unacceptable'.
Hamas said it had emphasised the need for a permanent ceasefire – long a sticking point for Israel.
And a source within the Palestinian group's political bureau added that it had also pushed for a 'full Israeli withdrawal' from the Gaza Strip.
On Friday, Israel had warned Hamas to either accept the deal and free the hostages held in Gaza 'or be annihilated'.
US envoy Steve Witkoff called Hamas's response to its truce offer on Saturday 'totally unacceptable', and urged it to 'accept the framework proposal we put forward'.
'That is the only way we can close a 60-day ceasefire deal in the coming days in which half of the living hostages and half of those who are deceased will come home to their families and in which we can have… substantive negotiations in good-faith to try to reach a permanent ceasefire,' he added in a post on X.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas's October 2023 attack, 57 remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
With reporting from AFP
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More
Support The Journal
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- RTÉ News
At least 27 reported killed near Gaza aid distribution point
Jens Laerke, Deputy spokesperson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, discusses the reports from health authorities in Gaza that at least 27 people have been killed and dozens injured after they were fired at by the Israeli military near to a food distribution centre.
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Urgent warning to Brit travellers after deadly virus that kills 40% of victims found in Spanish hotspot
HEALTH authorities have issued a warning to British travellers after a case of a deadly virus was spotted in the popular tourist region of Salamanca. A 70-year-old man was hospitalised with 2 A case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever was recently spotted in Salamanca, Spain Credit: Alamy 2 The disease is spread by tick bites Credit: Getty The Foreign Office-run website The CCHF virus tends to be spread by tick bites and can cause serious viral illness, as well as severe bleeding and multiple organ failure. In severe outbreaks, it can be fatal to up to 40 per cent of its victims, according to the Spanish health authorities said the 70-year-old man had contracted the dangerous infection from a tick bite. Read more on disease Testing confirmed he had CCHF after he was admitted to Salamanca Hospital with telltale symptoms. "He remains stable, although with the clinical severity that this pathology implies," Ministry for Health officials wrote. The patient is being isolated and protection measures are in place for healthcare professionals caring for him, they added. Medics also traced people the man had been in contact with and were keeping them under observation. Most read in Health "CCHF is caused by a virus primarily transmitted through the bite of a Hyalomma tick," Spanish health authorities said. "However, it can also be transmitted from person to person through contact with the patient's blood or body fluids, which can occur particularly among healthcare workers when they are not properly protected." Malaria- how cutting-edge science could finally beat the world's deadliest disease For British travellers, the risk of contracting CCHF while holidaying in Spain remains "low", Travel Health Pro noted. "Imported cases are very rare and are more commonly reported in people who have worked in endemic rural areas in high-risk jobs, such as farmers, veterinarians, slaughterhouse workers, livestock owners and other people that work with animals." But it urged people travelling to CCHF-affected areas to take the necessary precautions to avoid getting bitten by ticks. This includes steering clear of long grass and greenery where ticks may be hiding, as well covering skin with clothing, tucking trousers into socks, and using insect repellent and insecticide. Everything you need to know about Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral disease. It triggers symptoms including high fever, muscle pain, dizziness, abnormal sensitivity to light, abdominal pain and vomiting. Later on, sharp mood swings may occur, and the patient may become confused and aggressive. CCHF virus is widespread and the virus has been found among ticks in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe and South Western Europe. In Europe cases of human infections have been reported from Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. In June 2008, the first case was diagnosed in Greece and Spain reported the first locally acquired case in August 2016. Two cases were previously confirmed in the UK — one in 2012 and one in 2014 — which were imported from Afghanistan and Bulgaria. A third case was detected in March 2022 in a woman who had recently travelled to central Asia. Source: Travellers were also urged to check their body over for ticks and carefully remove any critters from their skin without squashing them. "UK travellers experiencing symptoms abroad should seek local medical advice as soon as possible," Travel Health Pro stated. In some cases, CCHF infections may cause no symptoms at all. For others, it can take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear. According to the UK Health Security Agency, initial symptoms may appear abruptly and can include: Fever and muscle aches Dizziness Neck pain and stiffness Backache Headache Sore eyes and sensitivity to light Confusion Nausea and vomiting Diarrhoea What's known as the haemorrhagic phase tends to begin three to five days after symptoms first appear. It usually starts with a rash and progresses to: Bruising Bleeding from the gums and nose Bleeding into the brain and/or the abdomen Low blood pressure Kidney failure Neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms The disease be fatal as a result of blood loss and multi-organ failure. Hyalomma ticks - which carry the virus from biting infected animals - aren't established in the UK but are present in countries across Africa, southern Europe, the Middle East, and western and south-central Asia. CCHF cases have been reported in over 30 countries across these regions. It's estimated that 10-15,000 human infections occur globally each year, resulting in approximately 500 deaths - though this is likely an underestimate as many cases may go unrecognised.
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
I fled the UK for sunny Dubai – life back home is miserable & no-one has any cash, I was wasting my life away there
A YOUNG woman has revealed how her health improved after she moved from the UK to Dubai – saying life at home was 'making her sick'. Ela Reeves was struggling with a series of health conditions prior to the move, including 5 Ela, who hails from Essex, was struggling with a series of health conditions prior to the move Credit: Jam Press/@elareevesx 5 The woman says her quality of life improved immediately – and she feels healthier than ever Credit: Jam Press/@elareevesx 5 She describes the UK as 'such a depressing place to live' Credit: Jam Press/@elareevesx With her body 'crying out for change', she decided to try life in sunnier climes – and jetted off to Working remotely there for her job at a luxury travel company, Ela says her quality of life improved immediately – and she feels healthier than ever. ' 'The UK was quite literally making me sick. read more on travel 'I thought that I had all of these 'I just didn't feel my best self despite being somebody who is always health conscious, always eating the right things, going to the gym, and 'It was so draining to the point that I was focusing on my health so much and wasn't really getting the results that I should have been. 'I was like 'What the hell is wrong with me?'' Most read in Fabulous Prior to moving to Dubai, Ela says she had 'severe' acne, struggling with bloating due to high cortisol levels, and says the lifestyle and weather in the UK limited her. Since leaving, she has noticed a huge difference in her health and has lost weight. I'm a Dubai millionaire's wife - yes my life is glamorous but there's a big problem with being married to a rich man Ela said: 'I'm [now] doing 20,000 steps a day, and my 'I have so much energy – I never thought I would have this amount of energy. 'Despite getting eight hours of sleep and trying to stay off of my phone before I go to bed and stuff, I just always felt drained and tired. 'I just kind of gave up on that for a bit and thought that was just me as a person – but not here. How easy is it to move abroad? Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving: Notify HMRC about your upcoming move. Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address. Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving. If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad - contact the You can sign up to the Royal Mail's If you have outstanding student loans, contact the If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools. 'I can work till late at night, I can get up early in the morning and I feel fresh. 'Even if I get less sleep now, I've still got the energy because I'm constantly outside getting fresh air and sunlight.' Ela describes the UK as 'such She cites the weather as a 'huge factor', saying she now walks a lot more, and spends her afternoons at Ela said: 'I'm not wasting hours indoors anymore 'There's always something to do here, and that shift alone has made me feel more energised and productive. 5 Ela has visited home to sort out visa issues and says her health issues have immediately resurfaced as a result. Credit: Jam Press/@elareevesx 5 She now works remotely for her job at a luxury travel company Credit: Jam Press/@elareevesx 'Life feels full again, not wasted. 'In the UK, the days felt so repetitive, scrolling on my phone and watching TV. 'And with 'I've actually loved the experience of 'My family has also come to visit, and thankfully we all have the flexibility to travel and see each other when we want to.' Ela has visited home to sort out She said: 'I'm back in the UK temporarily and already my acne has flared up again, and I'm feeling constantly fatigued. 'It honestly just confirms what I suspected: being in the UK really does impact my health. 'In my opinion, the UK isn't a happy place anymore. 'So many people are struggling with their health, finances, and, let's be honest, the weather. 'There are incredible opportunities for young people abroad – go and find them!'
