Israeli forces killed at least 27 Palestinians and wounded another 90 people after firing near Rafa’s aid distribution site, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The latest killing took place early Tuesday at a flagland about near the aid hub run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
It was the third such incident around Rafahab in many days. Gaza authorities have reported that more than 100 people seeking assistance have been killed since the US- and Israeli-backed GHF launched operations in the enclave on May 27th.
Israeli forces said they fired shots as “many suspects” deviated from a regulated route, as crowds headed towards the GHF distribution complex.
The “subject” was about 500 meters (about 550 yards) from the site, the military said in a Telegram statement, adding that it is considering reporting casualties.
The death toll was confirmed by Zaher Al-Waheidi, director of records at the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Hisham Manna, a spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said 184 injured people were taken to field hospitals in Rafa, of which 19 died on arrival and eight died of wounds.
Videos validated by Al Jazeera’s Sanad Fact-Checking Agency showed dozens of injured people arrived at the hospital.
Seduction
The Gaza government media office accused Israel of “a frightening, intentionally repeated crime” and said it had lured hungry Palestinians to the GHF centre.
The death toll on Tuesday has brought the number of aid seekers killed in Rafa district aid sites and the so-called Nezzarim corridor since GHF began surgery on 102 people, and 490 people were injured.
The United Nations on Monday called for an independent investigation into repeated mass shootings of Gaza aid seekers.
“It is unacceptable that Palestinians risk their lives for food,” Director General Antonio Guterres said. “I want an immediate and independent investigation of these events and an assailant to be accountable.”
“I heard from the witnesses there was confusion,” said Khoudary, behind Al Jazeera. “The Israeli forces randomly opened fires that had just shot and killed Palestinians.
Health Ministry officials and doctors said most of the injured had hit their chest and head, she added.
She went on to unfold in the ongoing chaos around the distribution centres of aid, similar to the past two days.
“There’s no process, there’s no system,” she said. “To get food, you have to run first.”
“In either case, we’ll die.”
Rasha Al-Nahal told The Associated Press that “gunshots were from all directions,” saying he saw dozens of people dead and several injured on the road.
When she finally reached the distribution hub, there was no assistance, Al-Nakhar said, adding that the Israeli forces “fired at us when we returned.”
Another witness from Khan Younis, Neima Al-Aaraj, described the shooting as “indiscriminatory.”
“I’m not going back,” she said. “In either case, we’ll die.”
In a statement on Telegram, the Israeli military said that people had deviated from the “specified access route” and that “the troops fired warning shots as additional shots were overseen near several individual suspects who advanced towards the troops after the suspects did not retreat.
However, it refused to fire civilians and blocked access to aid.
The account reflects a statement on a similar incident when three more were killed on Sunday, when 31 people seeking assistance reportedly were killed.
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