Tragic Consequences of Shelling in Gaza
According to Palestinian medical reports, at least 59 people were killed and over 200 injured due to shelling by Israeli tanks on a crowd seeking food aid in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Reuters
It was reported that Israeli tanks opened fire on a crowd attempting to receive aid from trucks on Tuesday, resulting in at least 59 fatalities according to medical personnel.
Videos posted on social media show around a dozen mutilated bodies lying in the streets of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Witnesses interviewed by Reuters stated that Israeli tanks fired at least two shells into a crowd of thousands gathered on the main eastern road through Khan Younis in hopes of receiving food from humanitarian trucks.
"They let us move forward and then started shelling the crowd," one eyewitness recounted at Nasser Hospital, where the injured victims were on the floor due to overcrowding.
Palestinian medics reported that at least 59 people were killed and 221 injured, with at least 20 in critical condition as a result of the incident.
This marks the deadliest single incident since humanitarian aid resumed in Gaza in May.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they are looking into the details of the incident.
According to the IDF: "This morning, a gathering of people was identified near a humanitarian aid truck stuck in the Khan Younis area, close to IDF troops operating in the vicinity.
The Israeli military is aware of reports regarding casualties resulting from IDF fire after the crowd approached. The details of the incident are under investigation. The IDF expresses regret for any harm caused to uninvolved individuals and acts to minimize their harm while ensuring the safety of our forces."
Details: The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that since the end of May, 397 Palestinians trying to receive food aid have been killed, and over 3000 have been injured.
Reuters notes that this incident is the latest in a series of almost daily mass killings of Palestinians seeking aid during the three weeks following Israel's partial lifting of a total blockade it had imposed for nearly three months.
A new phase of war in the Gaza Strip began in October 2023 when Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 individuals and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli statements. Subsequent Israeli assaults on Gaza have reportedly resulted in nearly 55,000 civilian deaths, causing mass displacement and famine.
