Gaza City, June 01 (KNS): At least 31 people have been killed and over 100 injured near an aid distribution centre in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The incident, which took place amid an ongoing Israeli military offensive, has triggered international concern and confusion over what exactly happened on the ground.
A local Palestinian journalist told the BBC that Israeli tanks opened fire near the aid centre, leading to what one British doctor described as “absolute carnage.” However, both the Israeli military and the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operates the centre, have denied responsibility.
GHF called the reports “fabricated,” and the Israeli military stated it is reviewing the incident but is currently unaware of any injuries caused by its forces near the distribution site.
Despite the denials, hospitals in the area, particularly Nasser Hospital, have reported mass casualties. Doctors there say they received about 200 patients, many with gunshot and shrapnel wounds. Australian doctor Ahmed Abu Sweid, working in Gaza, described it as a “mass casualty event,” saying the hospital was overwhelmed and running out of supplies.
“These are all civilian casualties that were asked to go to an aid centre to collect food, and ended up presenting with gunshot wounds, shrapnel wounds,” he said. “Most of them are critical. Some arrived dead.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel”
British surgeon Dr. Victoria Rose and other foreign doctors have also appeared in videos released by the Gaza health ministry, highlighting the scale of the humanitarian crisis. Dr. Thomas Potokar, who has visited Gaza 16 times over the past eight years, said this is “without any doubt the worst” he has ever seen.
He reported that 80% of the patients are women and children, and that malnutrition is preventing proper healing of injuries. He did not comment directly on the incident near the aid centre but said the suffering in Gaza is being worsened by “constant bombardment” and food shortages.
The incident has raised fresh questions about the new aid distribution mechanism set up by the GHF, which became operational just days ago. The foundation has dismissed recent critical reports as false.
Israel reimposed a full blockade on Gaza and resumed its military offensive on March 18, ending a two-month ceasefire. The war began after Hamas launched a deadly cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.
Since then, Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 54,418 people have been killed in the territory.
The true cause of the latest incident remains unclear, but what is certain is that another large number of civilians have been caught in the crossfire of the ongoing conflict — adding to an already dire humanitarian situation.