At least 25 Palestinians were killed early Tuesday when Israeli forces and drones opened fire on a crowd waiting for aid trucks in central Gaza, according to eyewitnesses and hospital reports.
The violence occurred near the east-west Netzarim corridor, which splits the Gaza Strip, as people gathered along the Salah al-Din Road south of Wadi Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed they were reviewing the incident after receiving reports of casualties during what they described as the crowd’s approach toward troops.
Eyewitnesses Recall Chaos as Israeli Fire Hits Gaza Aid Seekers, Dozens Dead
Survivors described the scene as a massacre, with Israeli tanks and drones firing on civilians. Ahmed Halawa recounted how shots were fired even as people attempted to flee. Hossam Abu Shahada said drones observed the area before tanks and drones began firing, resulting in a chaotic and bloody situation.
He saw several people motionless on the ground and many others wounded while escaping the area. The attack reportedly occurred as people moved eastward to approach aid trucks.
Israeli Fire on Gaza Aid Seekers Kills 25, Escalating Tensions Over Humanitarian AccessThe Awda hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp confirmed it received the bodies of the victims and treated 146 wounded, 62 of whom were in critical condition. These patients were transferred to other medical facilities in central Gaza. In Deir al-Balah, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital reported receiving six additional bodies from the same incident, further raising the confirmed death toll from this single episode of aid-seeking violence.
Rising Civilian Deaths Amid Clashes Over Aid Access in War-Torn Gaza Strip
Palestinian health officials and witnesses allege that Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on people seeking food and humanitarian aid in recent weeks, with hundreds reported dead. The Israeli military contends that its forces only fire warning shots when people approach in a suspicious manner. This incident adds to a growing pattern of similar confrontations during the ongoing conflict, which has severely restricted access to humanitarian relief in Gaza.
The Palestinian health ministry reports that over 56,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began on October 7, 2023, with more than 131,000 others wounded. The ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, states that more than half of the dead are women and children.
Israel, for its part, asserts that it targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas’ use of populated areas for military operations. The war began after a Hamas-led attack killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 hostages, most of whom have since been released under ceasefire agreements.