At least 32 Palestinians were killed and over 100 wounded on Saturday morning (July 19) when Israeli soldiers fired on crowds surrounding two relief distribution centres in southern Gaza. The victims, who were primarily young men, were walking towards GHF-operated centres with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US- and Israeli-supported relief organization.
The shooting occurred near Teina and east of Khan Younis. Witnesses said Israeli troops had delivered warning shots before employing machine guns mounted on tanks and drones. The Israeli military also admitted that it had given warnings and fired close to Rafah. But the GHF refuted any incident near its facilities and said that they had cautioned individuals against venturing close to the hubs in the evening or early morning.
Chaos Turns Deadly Near GHF Aid Centres
The most brutal violence was seen in Teina, roughly two miles from one of the GHF distribution centers near Khan Younis. Haaretz, a newspaper based in Israel, reported that a number of the injured—most of them children and adolescents—are still in critical condition.
Witnesses reported to the Associated Press that the victims had congregated near GHF areas for food. A survivor reported that he was walking towards the aid hub when Israeli soldiers initially discharged warning shots, before shooting directly into the crowd.
Witnesses Describe Unprovoked Attack
Akram Aker, one of the wounded survivors, told AP that Israeli tanks and drones surrounded them. He reported that troops fired machine guns between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.
“They surrounded us and began shooting directly at us,” he said. “There were so many bodies on the ground.” Other eyewitnesses described that the crowd was predominantly young men who were eager for assistance.
Israeli Army Claims Warnings Were Issued
The Israeli army stated that the soldiers opened fire with warning shots at a distance outside Gaza’s southernmost city, Rafah. It stated that the move came after repeated requests for the crowd to vacate the area. Israeli soldiers were not stationed physically at the aid centres but kept watch over them from a distance.
GHF, which has four such centres, dismissed any event at its facilities. It declared, “We have warned repeatedly, aid seekers not to come to our facilities overnight and early morning hours.”
Increasing Desperation During War
The war between Israel and Hamas is ongoing in Gaza. On October 7, 2023, the war started as Hamas militants crossed into southern Israel, killing 1,200 individuals and abducting 251 hostages.
Aid operations have since then been challenged to provide minimum requirements. Distribution of food at GHF centers has tended to become disorganized. Videos produced by the organization depict individuals swarming towards food boxes and taking whatever they can.
The tragic end that this incident reveals is of the deadly face of hunger, disorganization, and war. The lack of coordination and availability of weapons in the midst of suffering civilians only aggravate the tragedy.
