Civilians killed in aid distribution in Gaza: 'suspicious' individuals targeted ?

The Israeli army gave new elements on the deadly incident that occurred during the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip on February 29. 155 civilians were reportedly killed. killed by the IDF according to Hamas.

A week after the scene of chaos during a distribution of humanitarian aid, on February 29 at Gaza, the IDF broughté details on the event, Friday March 8. That day, 115 people were reported to have been arrested. killed according to Hamas authorities after Israeli soldiers “shot” precisely on several suspects, according to the IDF. The Israeli army had in fact denied having carried out an attack. "Limited shooting" on the crowd by which she had felt threatened. In a first press release, it was explained that that "the examination conductedé by the command revealed that the (Israeli) troops did not shoot at them. on the humanitarian convoy, but that they fired on a number of suspects who approached (Israeli soldiers) and presented a threat.

The IDF claimed in a new statement on Friday that “as the trucks were heading towards the distribution centers, a violent gathering of approximately 12,000 people” residents of Gaza trained around them, who plundered the equipment they were carrying. The Israeli army explains that during this looting, civilians were killed. seriously injured and the trucks crushed them. Residents of the Gaza Strip then “approached”, a distance of a few meters, from the forces of the army and thus constituted a real threat to the forces present. The IDF soldiers would therefore have fired at on certain civilians to make them retreat and then continued to shoot "to &eliminate the threat”, again according to the army.

The incident will be investigated, officials said. Israeli forces who claimed that they were making "many efforts to enable the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip".

Two different versions

According to the Islamist group in power in the Gaza Strip, a crowd of hungry people rushed onto a convoy of trucks filled with # 39;food aid and secured by Israeli forces. The latter would have, according to Hamas and various testimonies from Palestinians, opened fire on civilians. several times causing numerous deaths and injuries. After the tragedy, the Israeli army ensured that drone images were broadcast on social networks worldwide. support, that the incident occurred while Gazans were allegedly surrounded by Gazans. the convoy and pillaged humanitarian aid.

The very heavy toll drawn up by Hamas as the circumstances of the tragedy remain uncertain, but the incident caused numerous and strong reactions to this internationally. Emmanuel Macron expressed his “deep indignation at the images reaching us from Gaza whereù civilians were killed targeted by Israeli soldiers" on X, former Twitter. "I express my strongest disapproval of these shots and demand truth, justice and respect for international law" added the President of the Republic recalling that "all civilian populations must be protected" and that a "ceasefire must be put in place immediately to allow & humanitarian aid to be distributed. "What is happening is indefensible and unjustifiable. This situation must end" added the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, on France Inter. The minister also demanded; "explanations and estimatesé “There will need to be an independent investigation to determine what happened.” . 

"112 dead and 750 injured" according to Hamas

Only the Ministry of Health Hamas has advanced a quantified assessment after the shots during the distribution of food aid. He speaks of a "massacre" which left "112 dead and 750 injured". The American news agency Associated Press also counts more than 100 dead, but the number of victims still remains uncertain. Several hospitals in Gaza have indicated having received more than ten bodies and dozens of wounded, ' like the director of the Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza City, Hussam Abu Safieyah. "We do not know how many other victims were killed" taken to other hospitals he saidé The Red Crescent humanitarian organization in Palestine said: Al-Jazeera reported that 25 of its employees were allegedly killed. you were killed in the attack this Thursday.

Strong condemnations à international

The drama sparked strong reactions around the world. The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, said he condemned the ' event. In France, the Quai d'Orsay expressed, in a press release, its "very strong émotion". "Firing by Israeli soldiers against civilians trying to gain access to “foodstuffs are unjustifiable”, condemned Paris, which demanded let "all light be shed”. On X, the head of Italian diplomacy, Antonio Tajani, deplored the situation. "the tragic deaths à Gaza" and called "à an immediate ceasefire to allow more humanitarian aid. For its part, Turkey qualified; the tragedy of a new crime against humanity, judging that this tragedy is proof that [Israel] aims à consciously and collectively destroy the Palestinian people. Unanimous condemnation also from the Arab countries of the Gulf. Finally, Washington declaredé wait for "answers" from his great ally Israelël.

The premises of a famine Gaza ?

The shootings observed this Thursday came after the announcement of a new report by the Ministry of Health. of Hamas, according to which “more than 30,000” people were killed. killed in Israeli military operations Gaza since the start of the war, which broke out last October 7. US intelligence reports "more than 25,000 Palestinian women and children" killed since the start of the conflict, as announced the head of the Pentagon this Thursday, February 29. A figure which therefore does not take into account male victims, including Hamas fighters.

This new drama in the war between Israel and Hamas reflects the situation of famine which threatens the Gaza Strip and against which the UN has been warning for several months. The United Nations estimates that 2.2 million Gazans, almost all of them, live in Gaza. of the population, are threatened by famine. The humanitarian aid delivered is not sufficient to compensate for the damage caused by the war. According to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, some 2,300 aid trucks are arriving ;s in the Gaza Strip at least from February, on average 82 trucks per day, or half of the total number of trucks per day. less than those transported to the enclave in January. The same agency explains that before the war, 500 humanitarian trucks entered daily from Gaza.