Global condemnation after Israeli gunfire and chaos at Gaza aid convoy leaves dozens dead
- Global condemnation flowed after Israeli forces in Gaza opened fire as Palestinian civilians scrambled for food in a chaotic incident that killed more than 100
- The deaths came after the World Food Programme told the UN Security Council that ‘If nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza’
Global condemnation flowed on Friday after Israeli forces in war-ravaged Gaza opened fire as Palestinian civilians scrambled for food aid during a chaotic incident which the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry said killed more than 100 people.
The Israeli military said a “stampede” occurred when thousands of desperate Gazans surrounded a convoy of 38 aid trucks, leading to dozens of deaths and injuries, including some who were run over by the lorries.
An Israeli source acknowledged troops had opened fire on the crowd, believing it “posed a threat”.
Gaza’s health ministry called it a “massacre” and said 112 people were killed and more than 750 others wounded.
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a post on social media platform X, expressed his “strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice, and respect for international law”.
Iran denounced “the barbaric attack by the Zionist regime”, China said it was “shocked”, and the head of the Arab League said the “brutal” act showed “total contempt for human life”.
US President Joe Biden said Washington was checking “two competing versions” of the incident which occurred early Thursday in northern Gaza, where famine threatens after nearly five months of war between Israel and Hamas militants.
