27 killed near Gaza aid point
Palestinians who were injured in Israeli strikes on displacement tents in Khan Yunis, react after they arrive at the Nasser hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo: AFP
Listen to article
Twenty-seven people were killed in southern Gaza on Tuesday as Israeli troops opened fire near a US-backed aid centre, with the military saying the incident was under investigation.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres decried the deaths of Palestinians seeking food aid as "unacceptable" and the UN rights chief condemned attacks on civilians as "a war crime", after a similar shooting near the same site on Sunday.
Gaza's civil defence agency said that "27 people were killed and more than 90 injured in the massacre targeting civilians who were waiting for American aid in the Al-Alam area of Rafah", in the territory's south.
Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal earlier told AFP the deaths occurred "when Israeli forces opened fire with tanks and drones", while Israel said troops fired towards "suspects" who had ignored warning shots.
The International Committee of the Red Cross gave the same death toll but without mentioning the Israeli forces.
The organisation said Gazans face an "unprecedented scale and frequency of recent mass casualty incidents".
The latest shooting occurred about a kilometre (just over half a mile) from a centre run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which Israel has worked with to implement a new aid distribution mechanism. AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Iran says US travel ban ‘violates international law'
Listen to article Iran denounced on Saturday a renewed United States travel ban targeting Iranian nationals and citizens of 11 other countries, calling the measure a reflection of 'deep hostility' and a 'racist mentality' within American decision-making. The executive order, signed on Wednesday by US President Donald Trump, revives sweeping entry restrictions that will come into effect from Monday at 12.01am. EDT (0401 GMT). The restrictions apply to citizens of Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Read: US imposes new sanctions on Iran, targeting 10 individuals and 27 entities Trump said the ban was necessary to protect the United States from 'foreign terrorists,' citing national security concerns following a firebomb attack at a pro-Israel rally in Colorado last week. More than a dozen people were injured in the incident. Authorities later identified the suspect as an Egyptian man who had overstayed a US tourist visa. Iranian officials condemned the move as discriminatory, politically motivated and in violation of international law. 'The decision to ban the entry of Iranian nationals—merely due to their religion and nationality—not only indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian people and Muslims but also violates international law,' a senior official from Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement published on X, formerly Twitter. Read More: Iran's Khamenei rejects US nuclear deal proposal to halt uranium enrichment Alireza Hashemi-Raja, director general for Iranians abroad at the ministry, called the measure 'a clear sign of the dominance of a supremacist and racist mentality among American policymakers.' He warned that the ban could entail 'international responsibility' for the US, although he did not specify any potential legal action. The latest executive order closely resembles a travel ban implemented by Trump during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021. That policy faced criticism for disproportionately targeting Muslim-majority nations and was ultimately repealed by former President Joe Biden in 2021. Iran and the United States severed diplomatic ties following Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, and relations have remained strained ever since, especially over Tehran's nuclear programme, regional influence, and sanctions. Also read: Iran urges Europe not to back IAEA resolution on nuclear compliance Despite the lack of formal relations, the United States is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. According to Tehran's foreign ministry, there were about 1.5 million Iranians living in the US as of 2020. The Iranian foreign ministry said the ban deprives 'hundreds of millions of people of the right to travel based solely on their nationality or religion,' calling it discriminatory and harmful to global engagement. The statement also noted that the timing of the order—days after the Colorado rally attack—was misleading and risks fuelling xenophobia and Islamophobia in US policy. There was no immediate response from Washington to Tehran's remarks.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Trump refuses Musk outreach, says he has ‘lost his mind'
US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, May 30, 2025. PHOTO:REUTERS Listen to article US President Donald Trump dismissed the idea of a reconciliation with Elon Musk on Saturday, saying the billionaire 'has lost his mind', even as Republicans called for the two to end their public feud. Asked on ABC News whether he would speak with Musk after reports of a possible phone call, Trump said: 'You mean the man who has lost his mind?' The rift between the two influential figures—both key players in Republican political and fundraising circles—has escalated in recent days, with Musk criticising Trump-backed policies and Trump responding in kind. READ: Trump, Musk feud explodes with threats of cutting contracts, backing impeachment Despite the friction, Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators expressed hope that the feud would not derail the party's legislative goals, particularly a sweeping tax and border spending bill endorsed by Trump but opposed by Musk. 'I hope it doesn't distract us from getting the job done that we need to,' said Representative Dan Newhouse of Washington state. 'I think it will boil over and they'll mend fences.' Senator Ted Cruz of Texas echoed the sentiment, telling Fox News: 'When the two of them are working together, we'll get a lot more done for America than when they're at cross purposes.' Read More: Elon Musk's net worth drops by $27b after feud with Trump: report Senator Mike Lee of Utah shared a composite photo of the two men on social media, writing: 'But… I really like both of them.' He urged his followers to support reconciliation between the pair. The White House has not confirmed any planned conversation between Trump and Musk, although a person familiar with the matter said Musk was open to dialogue while Trump was unwilling to speak 'at least on Saturday'. Conservative host Sean Hannity said the feud had 'got personal very quick' but described it as 'just a major policy difference'. House Speaker Mike Johnson dismissed concerns that the clash would affect legislative priorities. 'Members are not shaken at all,' Johnson said. 'We're going to pass this legislation on our deadline.' Still, Johnson urged reconciliation, calling it 'good for the party and the country if all that's worked out', before issuing a note of caution to Musk. 'Do not doubt and do not second-guess and don't ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump,' he warned. 'He is the leader of the party.' Tensions between the two men have been rising since Musk publicly criticised the president's policies on immigration and government spending. The feud also coincided with volatility in Tesla's stock, further spooking investors.
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Iran condemns Trump travel ban as 'deeply hostile' toward Muslims
Listen to article Iran on Saturday blasted US President Donald Trump'stravel ban on countries including the Islamic Republic, saying it showed "deep hostility" toward Iranians and Muslims. "The decision to ban the entry of Iranian nationals - merely due to their religion and nationality - not only indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian people and Muslims but also violates... international law," a senior foreign ministry official said in a ministry statement posted on the X social media platform. Trump's proclamation on Wednesday will bar citizens from 12 countries starting on Monday at 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT). The countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The ban, which Trump said was necessary to protect against "foreign terrorists", was reminiscent of a similar move he implemented during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, when he barred travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations.
