21 Palestinians killed as Israeli forces fire on crowds near Gaza aid site: ‘scene was horrible'
At least 21 people were killed and scores were wounded on Sunday as they were on their way to receive food in the Gaza Strip, according to health officials and multiple witnesses. The witnesses said Israeli forces fired on crowds around 1 kilometre (0.62 miles) away from an aid site run by an Israeli-backed foundation.
The military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The foundation said in a statement that it delivered aid 'without incident' early on Sunday and has denied previous accounts of chaos and gunfire around its sites, which are in Israeli military zones where independent access is limited.
Officials at a nearby field hospital run by the Red Cross said at least 21 people were killed, and another 175 people were wounded, without saying who opened fire on them. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to reporters.
Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Gaza Health Ministry's records department, confirmed the death toll and said two women were among those killed.
New aid system marred by chaos
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's distribution of aid has been marred by chaos, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the delivery sites. Before Sunday, at least six people had been killed and more than 50 wounded, according to local health officials.
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