Israeli Forces Admit to Tuesday’s Gaza Aid Massacre

The Israeli military has admitted to killing and injuring dozens of starving aid seekers who were waiting for food in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Tuesday morning, in one of the bloodiest Israeli attacks amid growing desperation for food.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Israeli military confirmed reports of the deadly massacre, claiming that a crowd of Gazans had gathered near an aid truck that had become stuck in Khan Younis, close to Israeli forces operating in the area, without providing evidence as usual.

Over 55 aid seekers were killed and 200 others injured near a recently established aid distribution site run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and on the main eastern road through Khan Younis in the hope of getting food from aid trucks that use the route, when Israeli forces targeted them directly with shells and gunfire.

Witnesses confirmed Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of people waiting for food.

“Tens of thousands of hungry civilians gathered for the aid. Two Israeli shells were dropped in the middle of the crowd. Dozens of civilians, including children, were killed, and no one could help or save lives,” survivor Saeed Abu Liba, 38, said in a video circulated on social media. “May God punish the Israelis for their crimes.”

Yousef Nofal, another witness, said he saw many people motionless and bleeding on the ground. “It was a massacre,” he said, adding Israeli soldiers continued firing on people as they fled the area.

Mohammed Abu Qeshfa said he heard a loud explosion followed by heavy gunfire and tank shelling. “I survived by a miracle,” he said.

“All of a sudden, they let us move forward and made everyone gather, and then shells started falling, tank shells,” said Alaa, an eyewitness, interviewed by Reuters.

“No one is looking at these people with mercy. The people are dying, they are being torn apart, to get food for their children. Look at these people, all these people are torn to get flour to feed their children.”

Gaza Civil Defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said more than 200 people were wounded as thousands of Palestinians gathered to receive flour.

“Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded,” he said.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said 59 people were killed in the attack, while 20 others were critically injured.

Israel has regularly attacked starving aid seekers, particularly those waiting for food near aid distribution sites operated by the GHF, backed by the US and Israel, killing over 397 and injuring more than 3,000, the Health Ministry reported on Tuesday.

This attack was not the only assault on aid seekers this morning.

There was also one near the Netzarim Corridor, where another GHF site was established. At least one person was killed there, while 60 others were wounded.

On March 2, Israel announced the closure of Gaza’s main crossings, cutting off food, medical and humanitarian supplies, worsening a humanitarian crisis for 2.3 million Palestinians, according to reports by human rights organisations who have accused it of using starvation as a weapon of war against Palestinains.

An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report last month warned that almost a quarter of the civilian population would face catastrophic levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase Five) in the coming months.

After more than 80 days of total blockade, starvation, and growing international outrage, limited aid has allegedly been distributed by the GHF, a scandal-plagued organization backed by the US and Israel, created to bypass the UN’s established aid delivery infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

Most humanitarian organisations, including the UN, have distanced themselves from GHF, arguing that the group violates humanitarian principles by restricting aid to south and central Gaza, requiring Palestinians to walk long distances to collect aid, and only providing limited aid, among other critiques.

The UN confirmed that Israel is still blocking food from reaching starving Palestinians with only a few trucks of aid having reached Gaza.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that “weaponizing aid in this manner may constitute crimes against humanity.”