June 24 (Vietnam Insider) – Gaza’s Civil Defense Authority has accused Israeli forces of opening fire on a crowd of civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, resulting in 21 deaths and around 150 injuries early Monday morning.
According to Mahmud Bassel, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, Israeli troops allegedly used rifles and tank shellsto target civilians gathered in central Gaza at dawn to receive food and supplies.
“The Israeli forces opened fire and shelled the crowd with tanks as they waited for aid, killing 21 people and wounding approximately 150,” Bassel reported.
This marks the second time that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been accused of using tanks to attack aid distribution points in Gaza. On June 17, at least 59 people were killed and 221 injured when Israeli tanks reportedly fired into another crowd waiting for assistance—an incident that sparked international outrage.
The IDF has not confirmed Monday’s incident. According to AFP, Israel is currently restricting media access in Gaza, making it difficult for independent news agencies to verify casualty numbers or whether tanks were used in the latest attack.
Photographs from al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza show devastated Palestinian families mourning the loss of loved ones from the alleged strike.
Additional Airstrikes and Growing Humanitarian Concerns
Bassel also confirmed that five more civilians were killed and several others wounded following an airstrike on a housein Gaza City, also carried out by Israeli forces early Monday.
In recent weeks, Israel has eased its blockade on Gaza and shifted aid distribution to a newly established entity called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF)—a U.S.- and Israel-backed initiative. Each day, thousands of Gazans line up at GHF aid points in hopes of receiving food rations.
GHF claims it has distributed millions of meals without incident, except for the June 17 tank shelling. However, Gaza’s health authorities, under Hamas control, report that hundreds of civilians have died while attempting to access humanitarian aid.
The United Nations has criticized the GHF system, calling it “inadequate, dangerous, and a violation of humanitarian neutrality.”
“Militarizing the aid distribution system undermines international humanitarian standards. Weaponizing food, and obstructing or limiting civilians’ access to life-sustaining services, may constitute a war crime,” the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said in a statement following Monday’s events.
Israel maintains that the GHF is essential to prevent Hamas from diverting aid for militant purposes—an accusation the group denies.
As calls for accountability grow, human rights organizations are urging Israel to respect international laws and ensure that civilians are not targeted or used as pawns in conflict zones.
Related
Discover more from Vietnam Insider
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Source: Vietnam Insider