Gaza Conflict: Israeli Forces Allegedly Open Fire on Civilians

Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, June 24 (AP) - In a tragic escalation of hostilities, Israeli forces, supported by drones, reportedly opened fire on hundreds of Palestinian civilians waiting for humanitarian aid trucks in central Gaza on Tuesday. According to Palestinian witnesses and local hospitals, at least 25 people lost their lives in the incident.

The Israeli military has yet to provide comments on the allegations.

The Awda Hospital, located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, reported that the targeted Palestinians were gathered on Salah al-Din Road, south of Wadi Gaza, anticipating the arrival of aid. Eyewitness accounts conveyed to The Associated Press describe the opening of fire by Israeli forces as people were advancing eastward, closer to the convoy of trucks.

“It was a massacre,” said Ahmed Halawa, one of the survivors. Halawa reported that tanks and drones targeted the crowd even as individuals attempted to flee the scene. “Many people were either martyred or wounded,” he added.

Another witness, Hossam Abu Shahada, described the devastating attack, noting the presence of drones overhead monitoring the crowd before the assault commenced. Gunfire erupted from both drones and tanks as people moved eastward, leading to what he described as a “chaotic and bloody” scene with numerous individuals attempting to escape.

Abu Shahada recounted seeing at least three individuals lying motionless on the ground, with countless others injured. He fled the area amidst the chaos.

The Awda Hospital treated 146 Palestinian civilians who sustained injuries in the attack. Among them, 62 were in critical condition and required transfer to other medical facilities in central Gaza for additional care. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah reported receiving six bodies from the same incident.

This latest tragedy unfolds against the backdrop of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Gaza health ministry reports the war has resulted in approximately 56,000 Palestinian deaths. Of these casualties, the ministry claims more than half are women and children, though the figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Hostilities began following a militant Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed around 1,200 lives, predominantly civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Most hostages have since been released under ceasefire agreements. (AP) PY PY

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