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Observer
4 days ago
- Politics
- Observer
20 Gazans killed in aid point crush
GAZA CITY: At least 20 people were killed in a chaotic crush at an aid centre in southern Gaza on Wednesday, with the site's operator blaming "agitators" within the crowd and the territory's civil defence agency attributing the panic to Israeli gunfire. It was the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) first acknowledgement of deaths at one of its aid centres after weeks of chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Palestinians being killed nearby while waiting to collect rations. The latest deaths came as Hamas accused Israel of wanting to retain long-term military control of Gaza — a key sticking point in ongoing negotiations aiming to seal a deal for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of hostages and the unfettered flow of much-needed aid. A Palestinian source close to the negotiations said there had been "no progress so far" in the indirect talks, which are now in their second week in Doha. In Khan Yunis, the GHF said it understood that 19 of those killed on Wednesday "were trampled and one was stabbed amid a chaotic and dangerous surge". It said the crush was "driven by agitators", adding: "We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd -- armed and affiliated with Hamas -- deliberately fomented the unrest". Gaza's civil defence agency confirmed at least 20 people were killed in the incident, but blamed it on fire from Israeli troops. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said that thousands had gathered at the scene when "Israeli forces opened fire and used (tear) gas, causing panic and a stampede after aid centre guards closed the main gates in front of the hungry crowd". The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. AFP footage showed lifeless bodies being taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, with some placed on the floor and others on already-bloodied beds. "They fired stun grenades at us and sprayed us with pepper spray," said Abdullah Alian, who witnessed the crush. "When they saw people starting to die on the ground and people on top of each other suffocating, they opened the gate and people started climbing on top of each other." Paramedic Ziad Farhat said that after 21 months of devastating war, "there are not enough hospitals for the injured or the martyrs, and there is not enough land for the cemeteries". "Enough of what is happening, enough of the tragedies that we are living," he said. The GHF, an officially private effort, began operations on May 26 after Israel had blocked supplies from entering the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking warnings of imminent famine. On Tuesday, the UN said it had recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food, including 674 "in the vicinity of GHF sites", since late May. — AFP
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
US-Israeli Humanitarian Foundation says 20 Palestinians killed at aid point in Gaza - War on Gaza
The Us-Israeli Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) said at least 20 people killed at an aid point in Khan Younis, in the south of the Palestinian territory on Wednesday. "Our current understanding is that 19 of the victims were trampled and one was stabbed amid a chaotic and dangerous surge," the US- and Israel-backed organisation said in a statement. It was the first time the GHF acknowledged the killing of Palestinians at one of its distribution sites, following weeks of chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of hundreds being killed, by Israeli forces and contractors securing GHF sites, while waiting to collect food rations. Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 20 people were killed in the incident by fire from Israeli troops. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that thousands had gathered at the site when "Israeli forces opened fire and used (tear) gas, causing panic and a stampede after aid centre guards closed the main gates in front of the hungry crowd". AFP footage showed lifeless bodies taken to a nearby hospital in the city of Khan Younis, with some placed on the floor and others on already-bloodied beds. Abdullah Alian, a witness, said that mayhem unfolded as the crowd of aid-seekers was hit with stun grenades and pepper spray. "When they saw people starting to die on the ground and people on top of each other suffocating, they opened the gate and people started climbing on top of each other." Paramedic Ziad Farhat said that after more than 21 months of Israeli genocidal war, "there are not enough hospitals for the injured or the martyrs". "Enough of the tragedies that we are living." The GHF claimed the stampede was "driven by agitators in the crowd", and attempted to to pin the blame on Hamas. "For the first time since operations began, GHF personnel identified multiple firearms in the crowd, one of which was confiscated," the GHF said on Wednesday. Spokesman Chapin Fay denied that tear gas was used or that shots were fired into the crowd, despite multiple eyewitness accounts from Palestinians at the scene. "Limited use of pepper spray was deployed only to protect against additional loss of life," Fay claimed, adding that "warning shots were fired into the air at one point. The medical source at Nasser Hospital said the victims were "heading to the aid distribution centre in northwest Rafah to receive food aid" but the main gate to the centre had been closed. "The Israeli occupation forces and the centre's private security personnel opened fire on them, resulting in a large number of deaths and injuries," the source added. The GHF, an officially private effort, began operations on May 26 after Israel had blocked all food and aid supplies into the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking warnings of imminent famine. On Tuesday, the UN said it had recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food, including 674 "in the vicinity of GHF sites", since late May. Last week, UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters that "most of the injuries are gunshot injuries". Israel has killed at least 58,573 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since the start of its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. The Israeli mass killings, siege, starvation tactics, and systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure are the subject of a genocide case filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which issued interim rulings ordering Israel to prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid into the Strip. In parallel, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the occupied Palestinian territories. In May 2024, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of using starvation as a weapon of war and deliberately targeting civilians Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
eNCA
5 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Gaza aid point crush kills 20 people
A crush at an aid centre in southern Gaza killed at least 20 people on Wednesday, with the site's operator blaming "agitators" within the crowd and the Palestinian territory's civil defence agency attributing the panic to Israeli gunfire. It was the first time that the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the United States and Israel, acknowledged deaths at one of its distribution sites after weeks of chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Palestinians being killed nearby while waiting to collect rations. AFP footage showed lifeless bodies taken to a nearby hospital, in the city of Khan Yunis, with some placed on the floor and others on already-bloodied beds. Abdullah Alian, a witness, said that mayhem unfolded as the crowd of aid-seekers was hit with stun grenades and pepper spray. "When they saw people starting to die on the ground and people on top of each other suffocating, they opened the gate and people started climbing on top of each other." It was not clear whether he was referring to US contractors securing GHF sites, Israeli forces or another party. AFP | Jack GUEZ Paramedic Ziad Farhat said that after more than 21 months of devastating war, "there are not enough hospitals for the injured or the martyrs". "Enough of the tragedies that we are living." The latest deaths came as indirect negotiations between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas were ongoing, aiming to seal a deal for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza and the unfettered flow of much-needed aid into the territory. Hamas has accused Israel of wanting to retain long-term military control of Gaza -- a key sticking point in the talks, which are now in their second week in Qatar. - 'Stampede' - The GHF said it understood that 19 of those killed on Wednesday "were trampled and one was stabbed amid a chaotic and dangerous surge". The organisation said the crush was "driven by agitators", adding: "We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd -- armed and affiliated with Hamas -- deliberately fomented the unrest". Gaza's civil defence agency said at least 20 people were killed in the incident, blaming it on fire from Israeli troops. AFP | Omar AL-QATTAA Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that thousands had gathered at the site when "Israeli forces opened fire and used (tear) gas, causing panic and a stampede after aid centre guards closed the main gates in front of the hungry crowd". The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. The GHF, an officially private effort, began operations on May 26 as Israel eased a two-month aid blockade that had sparked warnings of famine. On Tuesday, the UN said it had recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food since late May, including 674 "in the vicinity of GHF sites". Last week, UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters that "most of the injuries are gunshot injuries". The GHF -- accused by aid organisations of catering to Israeli military needs -- has denied that fatal shootings have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points, and the Israeli army has accused Hamas of firing at civilians, though witnesses have blamed the military. - 'No progress' - In the truce negotiations, Hamas is seeking a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and last week rejected an Israeli proposal that it said would have kept troops in more than 40 percent of the territory. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Wednesday that work was ongoing to revise Israeli pullback maps, citing an unnamed foreign official. Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political leadership, told AFP that Israel "has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals". "What is happening on the ground confirms (Israel's) intentions and plans to maintain and prolong military control within the Gaza Strip for the long term," he said. Speaking in Gaza on Wednesday, Israel's army chief Eyal Zamir said that "in the coming days, we will know whether or not we have an agreement", according to a military statement. A Palestinian source close to the negotiations earlier told AFP there had been "no progress so far". If a deal is not reached, Israel will "intensify and expand combat operations as much as possible, beyond what we are currently doing", Zamir said. The war was sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 58,573 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. bur-acc/phz/ami
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
20 people killed in aid point crush in southern Gaza
At least 20 people were killed in a chaotic crush at an aid centre in southern Gaza on Wednesday (July 16, 2025), with the site's operator blaming "agitators" within the crowd and the territory's civil defence agency attributing the panic to Israeli gunfire. It was the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) first acknowledgement of deaths at one of its aid centres after weeks of chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Palestinians being killed nearby while waiting to collect rations. The latest deaths came as Hamas accused Israel of wanting to retain long-term military control of Gaza — a key sticking point in ongoing negotiations aiming to seal a deal for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of hostages and the unfettered flow of much-needed aid. A Palestinian source close to the negotiations told AFP there had been "no progress so far" in the indirect talks, which are now in their second week in Doha. In Gaza's main southern city of Khan Yunis, the GHF said it understood that 19 of those killed on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) "were trampled and one was stabbed amid a chaotic and dangerous surge". It said the crush was "driven by agitators", adding: "We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd — armed and affiliated with Hamas — deliberately fomented the unrest". Gaza's civil defence agency confirmed at least 20 people were killed in the incident but blamed it on fire from Israeli troops. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that thousands had gathered at the scene when "Israeli forces opened fire and used (tear) gas, causing panic and a stampede after aid centre guards closed the main gates in front of the hungry crowd". The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'Climbing on top of each other' AFP footage showed lifeless bodies being taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, with some placed on the floor and others on already-bloodied beds. "They fired stun grenades at us and sprayed us with pepper spray," said Abdullah Alian, who witnessed the crush. "When they saw people starting to die on the ground and people on top of each other suffocating, they opened the gate and people started climbing on top of each other." Paramedic Ziad Farhat told AFP that after 21 months of devastating war, "there are not enough hospitals for the injured or the martyrs, and there is not enough land for the cemeteries". "Enough of what is happening, enough of the tragedies that we are living," he said. The GHF, an officially private effort, began operations on May 26 after Israel had blocked supplies from entering the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking warnings of imminent famine. On Tuesday (July 15, 2025), the U.N. said it had recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food, including 674 "in the vicinity of GHF sites", since late May. Last week, U.N. rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters that "most of the injuries are gunshot injuries". The GHF has denied that fatal shootings have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points, and the Israeli Army has accused Hamas of firing at civilians, though witnesses have blamed the military. 'No progress' Hamas is seeking a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in the truce negotiations, and last week rejected an Israeli proposal that it said would have kept troops in more than 40% of the territory. Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) quoted a foreign official it did not identify as saying that work was ongoing to revise Israeli pullback maps. But Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told AFP: "(Israel) has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals". "What is happening on the ground confirms (Israel's) intentions and plans to maintain and prolong military control within the Gaza Strip for the long term," he added. A Palestinian source close to the negotiations told AFP there had been "no progress so far". "We hope the mediators will succeed in pressuring Israel to offer an acceptable withdrawal map that ensures an actual withdrawal — not merely a redeployment of Israeli military forces — and the entry of aid into the Strip," the source said. Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the war in Gaza, and resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. A total of 251 hostages were taken that day, of whom 49 are still being held, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 58,573 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Int'l Business Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
20 People Killed In Aid Point Crush In Southern Gaza
At least 20 people were killed in a chaotic crush at an aid centre in southern Gaza on Wednesday, with the site's operator blaming "agitators" within the crowd and the territory's civil defence agency attributing the panic to Israeli gunfire. It was the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) first acknowledgement of deaths at one of its aid centres after weeks of chaotic scenes and near-daily reports of Palestinians being killed nearby while waiting to collect rations. The latest deaths came as Hamas accused Israel of wanting to retain long-term military control of Gaza -- a key sticking point in ongoing negotiations aiming to seal a deal for a 60-day ceasefire, the release of hostages and the unfettered flow of much-needed aid. A Palestinian source close to the negotiations told AFP there had been "no progress so far" in the indirect talks, which are now in their second week in Doha. In Gaza's main southern city of Khan Yunis, the GHF said it understood that 19 of those killed on Wednesday "were trampled and one was stabbed amid a chaotic and dangerous surge". It said the crush was "driven by agitators", adding: "We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd -- armed and affiliated with Hamas -- deliberately fomented the unrest". Gaza's civil defence agency confirmed at least 20 people were killed in the incident, but blamed it on fire from Israeli troops. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that thousands had gathered at the scene when "Israeli forces opened fire and used (tear) gas, causing panic and a stampede after aid centre guards closed the main gates in front of the hungry crowd". The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. AFP footage showed lifeless bodies being taken to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, with some placed on the floor and others on already-bloodied beds. "They fired stun grenades at us and sprayed us with pepper spray," said Abdullah Alian, who witnessed the crush. "When they saw people starting to die on the ground and people on top of each other suffocating, they opened the gate and people started climbing on top of each other." Paramedic Ziad Farhat told AFP that after 21 months of devastating war, "there are not enough hospitals for the injured or the martyrs, and there is not enough land for the cemeteries". "Enough of what is happening, enough of the tragedies that we are living," he said. The GHF, an officially private effort, began operations on May 26 after Israel had blocked supplies from entering the Gaza Strip for more than two months, sparking warnings of imminent famine. On Tuesday, the UN said it had recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food, including 674 "in the vicinity of GHF sites", since late May. Last week, UN rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters that "most of the injuries are gunshot injuries". The GHF has denied that fatal shootings have occurred in the immediate vicinity of its aid points, and the Israeli army has accused Hamas of firing at civilians, though witnesses have blamed the military. Hamas is seeking a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in the truce negotiations, and last week rejected an Israeli proposal that it said would have kept troops in more than 40 percent of the territory. Israeli public broadcaster Kan on Wednesday quoted a foreign official it did not identify as saying that work was ongoing to revise Israeli pullback maps. But Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told AFP: "(Israel) has not yet delivered any new or revised maps regarding military withdrawals". "What is happening on the ground confirms (Israel's) intentions and plans to maintain and prolong military control within the Gaza Strip for the long term," he added. A Palestinian source close to the negotiations told AFP there had been "no progress so far". "We hope the mediators will succeed in pressuring Israel to offer an acceptable withdrawal map that ensures an actual withdrawal -- not merely a redeployment of Israeli military forces -- and the entry of aid into the Strip," the source said. Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 sparked the war in Gaza, and resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. A total of 251 hostages were taken that day, of whom 49 are still being held, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 58,573 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. More than 21 months of devastating war in Gaza have created dire humanitarian conditions for the population of more than two million AFP
