Israeli forces in Gaza open fire at crowd: Over 100 Palestinians killed in aid distribution point
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza denounced the incident as a "massacre," emphasizing that it claimed a significant number of lives and left hundreds wounded. A witness described the chaos as thousands of desperate individuals rushed toward aid trucks at Nabulsi roundabout in Gaza City.
In a devastating turn of events, Israeli forces in Gaza on Thursday (February 29) opened fire on a crowd gathered at an aid distribution point, resulting in a tragic toll. According to Palestinian health officials, at least 104 people lost their lives, and over 700 sustained injuries in the pre-dawn incident in Gaza City. Israeli sources reportedly said that the troops fired upon the crowd, asserting they perceived a potential threat.
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza denounced the incident as a "massacre," emphasizing that it claimed a significant number of lives and left hundreds wounded. A witness described the chaos as thousands of desperate individuals rushed toward aid trucks at Nabulsi roundabout in Gaza City.
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The witness recounted that the situation escalated when trucks, laden with aid, approached army tanks in the area, prompting the crowd to storm the vehicles. Soldiers, fearing proximity to the tanks, responded by firing into the crowd.
Initially, the Israeli army claimed that during the entry of humanitarian aid trucks into the northern Gaza Strip, residents surrounded the trucks, leading to looting and injuries due to pushing and trampling. The incident is currently under review, the army stated. Subsequently, an anonymous Israeli source informed AFP that the crowd approached the forces in a way that posed a threat, leading the troops to respond with live fire.
As the casualties were rushed to Gaza's functioning hospitals, health officials reported a rising death count. The Al-Shifa Medical Complex struggled to cope with the influx of injuries, citing weak medical and human capabilities.
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