Dozens of Palestinians have died and many more have been injured in a shooting that took place at a humanitarian aid distribution point in Gaza, marking the third consecutive day of attacks as residents try to access food and assistance amid the growing humanitarian crisis.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians heading to the aid distribution point in Tel al-Sultan, in Rafah, southern Gaza, in the early hours of Tuesday. At least 27 people have died and dozens have been injured, many of them in critical condition. Local hospital authorities, such as Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirmed that the number of victims continues to rise due to the severity of the injuries.
Continuous shootings in the last few days
The attack that occurred on Tuesday is the third consecutive shooting incident in the area over the past three days. According to paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent, the shots were fired near the Al-Alam roundabout, west of Rafah, and in the vicinity of the aid distribution point, one of the most affected areas during the conflict in Gaza.
Over the past few days, deaths and injuries have been reported in the same location, indicating a pattern of violence in the area. On Sunday, in a similar attack, Israeli forces killed over 30 people who were attempting to access aid, and on Monday, three Palestinians were shot dead while heading to the same site.
Israeli forces version
The Israeli army defended the actions of its troops, stating that the shots were fired after a group of Palestinians deviated from the established access routes towards the aid distribution point, which the army deemed as an “imminent threat.” “The troops fired warning shots and, after not receiving a response, targeted some of the individuals advancing towards them,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported in a statement.
Survivor Testimonials
The testimonies of the survivors reflect the suffering and desperation of the inhabitants of Gaza. Nawal Al-Masri, a mother whose son was injured while trying to get help, described the place as “a trap.” “Is this what they call help? This help is to kill people,” said Al-Masri, visibly distressed. “What are we supposed to do when a child like mine is just going for a two-kilo bag of flour?”
International reactions and calls for investigation
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, strongly condemned the attacks against civilians attempting to access the limited aid available in Gaza. “The deadly attacks on desperate civilians trying to access scarce amounts of food are inconceivable,” Turk stated, urging for an immediate and impartial investigation into each of these incidents.
Turk also pointed out that Palestinians are facing a “life-or-death choice”: to die of hunger or to risk their lives while trying to access the limited humanitarian aid available. The situation in Gaza has been exacerbated by a blockade of over 11 weeks imposed by Israel, which has left the population without access to basic resources.
Impact on the healthcare system in Gaza
Gaza’s hospitals are on the brink of collapse due to the number of victims who have arrived in the last few hours. Dr. Marwan al-Hams, head of field hospitals in Gaza, reported that Nasser Hospital is overwhelmed and that the intensive care units can only take in new patients when others die due to the severity of their injuries. “What we are seeing are mainly gunshot wounds, concentrated in the upper body,” al-Hams told CNN, making an urgent plea for blood donations.