32 Gazans Died As A Result Of Israeli Shots On Their Way To The Aid Location

The condition of the Gaza refugee camp that was destroyed was attacked by Israel / DOK UNRWA

JAKARTA - A total of 32 people were killed by Israeli gunfire while they were on their way to the distribution site in Gaza on Saturday morning.

This data was reported by the Ministry of Health Gaza and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

While the Israeli military said warning shots were fired at a number of people who approached the troops after they did not heed calls to stop, about one kilometer from the location of the distribution of aid that was inactive at the time.

Gazan Mohammed al-Khalidi said he was among a group approaching the site and did not hear any warning before the shooting began.

"We thought they came to arrange us so we could get help, suddenly (I) saw the trunk coming from one side, and the tank from the other, then started shooting at us," he said.

Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), a US-backed group that runs the aid site, said there were no incidents or casualties there on Saturday and had repeatedly warned people not to travel to their distribution points during the dark.

"The reported IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) activity resulted in casualties hours before our location was opened and our understanding is that most of the fatalities occurred several kilometers from the nearest GHF location," he said.

The GHF uses US private security and logistics companies to deliver supplies to Gaza, most of which go through a UN-led system accused of Israel of allowing Hamas-led militants to loot aid shipments aimed at civilians.

Hamas denied the allegations.

The United Nations calls the GHF model unsafe and violates humanitarian imparity standards, which GHF denies.

On Tuesday, the United Nations human rights office in Geneva said it had recorded 875 killings in the past six weeks around aid sites and food convoys in Gaza - mostly near GHF distribution points.

Most of the deaths were caused by gunfire by local residents accused of Israeli military.

The military acknowledged civilians were injured, saying Israeli forces had been given new instructions with "stealed ranks".

At least 18 people were killed in another Israeli attack on Gaza on Saturday, July 19, health officials said.

The Israeli military said it had attacked weapons depots and militant sniper posts at several locations in the enclave.