Health officials in Gaza reported on Thursday that gunfire from Israeli forces targeting individuals awaiting aid near Gaza City resulted in the deaths of 104 Palestinians and injuries to 280 others. One hospital disclosed receiving 10 fatalities and numerous wounded individuals as a result of the incident.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military stated they had no information regarding any shelling at that specific location. Subsequently, the military acknowledged that numerous injuries occurred due to pushing and trampling when aid trucks arrived in northern Gaza.
According to an Israeli source, soldiers fired at “several individuals” within the crowd who posed a threat to them.
The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denounced what it termed as “the horrific massacre carried out by the Israeli occupation army” against people awaiting aid trucks at the Nabulsi roundabout.
The spokesperson for Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, Ashraf al-Qidra, indicated that the event unfolded at the al-Nabusi roundabout in the western part of Gaza City. Medical teams struggled to manage the influx of injured individuals at al-Shifa hospital, overwhelmed by the volume and severity of injuries.
Hussam Abu Safieyah, head of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza City, confirmed receiving 10 deceased individuals and numerous wounded patients from the incident west of the city. He expressed uncertainty about the casualty count at other medical facilities.
Hamas issued a warning that the incident could jeopardize negotiations aimed at securing a truce and the release of hostages. The movement emphasized that its leadership’s negotiations would not come at the expense of Palestinian lives and held Israel accountable for any failure in the talks.
Videos circulating on social media depicted trucks transporting multiple dead bodies, with one video confirmed to be from the al-Nabulsi roundabout showing motionless individuals and wounded victims. Another unverified video showed bloodied individuals being transported in a truck, receiving medical treatment on a hospital floor, and bodies being prepared for burial.
“We reject this kind of aid. We don’t want aid accompanied by bullets. Many have been martyred,” a man stated in one of the videos.
An Israeli military spokesperson reiterated that there was no information regarding Israeli shelling in the area.
