In a devastating turn of events, over 60 Palestinians lost their lives and many more were injured as they gathered to receive humanitarian aid from a U.N. convoy in northern Gaza. Health officials from the Gaza ministry reported that this lethal incident occurred near the Zikim crossing between Gaza and Israel. Witnesses recounted a scene of chaos as a nearby field hospital struggled to accommodate the influx of victims, with over 100 individuals reported wounded.
The Israeli military, however, offered a different narrative, claiming that its forces fired warning shots before responding to what they described as an "immediate threat," although they did not clarify what this threat entailed. Furthermore, they suggested that the reported casualty numbers were inconsistent with their investigation's findings, insisting they were still evaluating the situation.
The U.N. World Food Program confirmed that their convoy consisting of 25 trucks loaded with vital food supplies was making its way to northern Gaza when the surrounding crowds came under fire from Israeli tanks and snipers. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, as widespread hunger has turned aid distribution into a highly dangerous affair, with Israeli soldiers frequently firing upon large groups of Palestinians desperate for nourishment and assistance.
