Palestinians say at least 4 killed by Israeli fire near aid site. Israel says it fired warning shots
DEIR AL-BALAH Gaza Strip AP Palestinian robustness leaders and spectators say at least four people were killed and others were wounded by Israeli fire around a kilometer half-mile from an aid distribution point in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and U S -backed group Israel s military announced it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces The bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in Gaza s southern city of Khan Younis which established the toll Palestinian onlookers stated Israeli forces had fired on them at a roundabout in the nearby city of Rafah as they went to get food from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation The Israeli military noted it fired warning shots at people it reported were persons who had advanced toward its forces and ignored warnings to turn away It explained the shooting occurred in an area in southern Gaza that is considered an working combat zone at night The GHF did not right away respond to requests for comment Deadly shootings near new aid hubs The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of desperate Palestinians are being directed to collect food Observers say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire and more than people have been killed according to Gaza hospital administrators Israel s military has announced it fired warning shots or in particular instances near individuals approaching its forces Onlookers stated Sunday s shooting occurred at around a m when they were described the site would open Numerous had headed toward it early to try and get desperately needed food before the crowds Adham Dahman who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin explained a tank had fired toward them We didn t know how to escape he noted This is trap for us not aid Zahed Ben Hassan another witness mentioned someone next to him was shot in the head He declared that he and others pulled the body from the scene and managed to flee to the hospital They announced it was a safe area from a m until p m So why did they start shooting at us he reported There was light out and they have their cameras and can clearly see us Exposure of famine The hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access and are run by GHF a new group of mainly American contractors Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups Israel and the United States accuse the militant Hamas group of stealing aid while the U N denies there is any systematic diversion The U N says the new system is unable to meet mounting demands and allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it and forcing people to relocate to where the aid sites are positioned The U N system has meanwhile struggled to deliver aid even after Israel eased its complete blockade of Gaza last month U N bureaucrats say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical danger of famine if Israel did not lift its blockade and halt its military campaign which Israeli officers have stated will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile Hamas has explained it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Talks mediated by the U S Egypt and Qatar have been deadlocked for months Hamas started the war with its massive attack on southern Israel on Oct when Palestinians militants killed several people mostly civilians and took another people hostage They are still holding hostages fewer than half of them alive after preponderance of the rest were disclosed in ceasefire agreements or other deals Israel has recovered dozens of bodies including three in modern days and rescued eight living hostages over the program of the war Israel s military campaign has killed over Palestinians according to Gaza s Healthcare Ministry It has commented women and children make up most of of the dead but does not say how multiple civilians or combatants were killed Israel says it has killed over militants without providing evidence The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around of its population The territory s roughly million Palestinians are almost thoroughly reliant on international aid because nearly all of Gaza s food production capabilities have been destroyed Chehayeb shared from Beirut Follow AP s war coverage at https apnews com hub israel-hamas-war Source
