31 Palestinians killed near Gaza aid site amid conflicting claims

Reuters
Reuters

At least 31 people have died near a southern Gaza aid distribution site, with conflicting accounts from Palestinian officials, the Israeli military, and aid groups over what caused the bloodshed.

At least 31 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured near an aid distribution site in southern Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The facility is operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed private organization.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported receiving a mass influx of casualties at its field hospital in the south, including 179 people with gunshot or shrapnel wounds. Twenty-one were declared dead on arrival, with women and children among the injured.

The exact circumstances of the incident remain unclear. The Palestinian health ministry blamed the Israeli military for the deaths.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that its forces did not open fire on civilians near or within the aid site and said it had no knowledge of injuries resulting from its fire within the area. However, it did not rule out shooting nearby.

The IDF also released drone footage claiming to show armed, masked individuals throwing stones and firing weapons at civilians during the aid distribution.

Some witnesses alleged that local security personnel had opened fire.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the center, denied that any casualties occurred at the site, accusing Hamas of spreading false claims.

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