At least 27 killed, 90 injured in Israeli fire at aid site in Gaza: Hamas-run health ministry
Synopsis
At least 27 people were killed and 90 injured at a Gaza aid distribution site in Rafah. Conflicting reports attribute the incident to Israeli gunfire, while the IDF and the aid center deny these claims, leading to confusion and escalating tensions.
At least 27 people have been killed and 90 injured while waiting for aid in southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The incident occurred at an aid distribution site in southern Rafah, where people were gathering to receive assistance.
This latest incident comes after a disputed report of a similar incident on Sunday, which Gaza's civil defence agency claims resulted in at least 31 people killed and many more wounded due to "Israeli gunfire" targeting civilians in Rafah. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that its hospital in Rafah received a large influx of casualties, with 21 people declared dead upon arrival.
However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied firing at people near or within the aid centre, and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which runs the aid distribution centre, also denied claims of injuries and casualties at its site, blaming Hamas for spreading misinformation.
In a separate incident on Monday, three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire near the same GHF centre, with the Israeli military claiming they fired warning shots at suspects who advanced toward troops approximately 1km from the site.