Palestinian medical officials and witnesses say Israeli forces opened fire on civilians heading to a humanitarian aid point on Tuesday, killing at least 27 people, the third such incident in three days.
The army says the shooting was directed at “several individual suspects” who left their designated route, approached their units and ignored warning shots.
The near-daily clashes have come after an Israeli- and US-backed foundation set up aid distribution points inside Israeli military zones, a system it says was designed to bypass Hamas.
The United Nations has criticized the new system, saying it does not address growing hunger in Gaza and allows Israel to use humanitarian aid as a weapon.
The Israeli military said it was investigating the casualties on Tuesday. It had previously said it fired warning shots at suspects approaching its units early Sunday and Monday, when medical workers and witnesses said 34 people were killed.
The military denies shooting at civilians or preventing them from reaching aid points.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the sites where the events are taking place, says there was no violence at the sites or in the surrounding area. It acknowledged Tuesday that the Israeli military was checking whether civilians were injured “after leaving the designated safe corridor and entering a closed military zone,” in an area that is “far from our safe distribution site.”
All the incidents took place at the Flag roundabout, located about a kilometre from one of the GHF distribution points in the southern city of Rafah, which is currently almost empty.
The entire area is Israeli military territory, where journalists are not allowed to enter outside of army-approved shelters.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said three of its soldiers were killed in northern Gaza, in what appears to be the deadliest attack on Israeli forces since the ceasefire with Hamas in March.
The military said three soldiers, all in their 20s, were killed in combat on Monday, without providing further details. Israeli media reported that they were killed in an explosion in the Jabaliya area.
Israel ended the ceasefire after Hamas refused to change the deal to free more hostages as quickly as possible.
According to the Minister
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
