Israel Claims Shooting Suspects Who Approach Troops Near Aid Distribution Location

JAKARTA - Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for the third day in a row said its troops opened fire on Palestinian suspects who approached them about 500 meters from the distribution site for humanitarian aid in the Rafah region, southern Gaza.

The statement follows the death of Palestinians from gunfire near the distribution site in the Southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

According to the IDF, while crowds of Palestinians were heading to the aid distribution site in Rafah via organized routes, troops saw several suspects approaching their positions while deviating from the previously approved path, about half a kilometer from the aid complex.

"The troops fired warning shots, and after they did not disperse, additional shots were fired beside several suspects who approached the troops," the IDF said.

The IDF said it was aware of the victim's report, and was investigating the incident further.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the US-backed humanitarian agency and Israel in charge of aid distribution, said aid had been distributed this morning without incident.

The IDF said it allowed the GHF to operate "independently to distribute aid to Gazans and prevent it from reaching the Hamas militant group."

"The IDF forces did not prevent the arrival of Gazans to the distribution site. The shooting was carried out about half a kilometer from the distribution site against individual suspects who approached the troops in a way that threatened them," the military said.

The GHF has denied previous reports of chaos and gunfire around its location, which is in Israel's military zone.

The IDF itself has acknowledged opening warning shots on several previous occasions outside the aid distribution center.