Local health officials reported that Israeli forces killed six Palestinians at an aid distribution center in southern Gaza on Saturday night, marking the fourth deadly incident in a week. The fatalities occurred in western Rafah, where citizens had gathered in hopes of receiving humanitarian aid, according to Marwan Al-Hams, the Palestinian Health Ministry’s director of field hospitals. The identities of the victims remain unknown, but the World Health Organization has deemed the Health Ministry’s statistics reliable.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the event, stating that troops fired “warning shots” at individuals deemed suspicious near the Tel al-Sultan refugee camp, which they identified as an active combat zone during nighttime. The IDF claimed these individuals acted threateningly, prompting the warning shots; however, no specific details about the nature of that threat were disclosed, and the IDF did not take responsibility for the ensuing deaths, stating it was aware of the casualty reports.
This incident follows several previous occurrences where health officials reported casualties near aid distribution sites. In one instance, over 30 individuals were killed, with many others injured while waiting for aid. Eyewitness accounts described gunfire from both aerial and ground sources during their wait. Another incident resulted in the deaths of three Palestinians, with multiple injuries reported at a food distribution site. The following day, Palestinian health officials noted at least 27 additional fatalities related to IDF gunfire near an aid location.
Despite reports of casualties, an Israeli military official dismissed claims of deaths at the site as misleading, reiterating that troops were responding to perceived threats about half a mile from the distribution center.
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