51 Palestinians awaiting aid trucks killed in Khan Younis

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 51 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 wounded in Israeli tank shellfire and gunfire, targeting a group of Gaza residents awaiting humanitarian aid on Tuesday, a media report said.

Associated Press quoted the Gaza Health Ministry and a local hospital as saying the victims were struck while awaiting aid trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food.

The Israeli military said soldiers had spotted a gathering near an aid truck that was stuck in Khan Younis, near where Israeli forces were operating.

Yousef Nofal, an eyewitness, said he saw many people motionless and bleeding on the ground after Israeli forces opened fire. “It was a massacre,” he said, adding that the soldiers continued firing on people as they fled from the area.

The dead and wounded were taken to the city’s Nasser Hospital, which confirmed the toll.

Samaher Meqdad was at the hospital looking for her two brothers and a nephew who had been in the crowd.

“We don’t want flour. We don’t want food. We don’t want anything,” she said. “Why did they fire at the young people? Why? Aren’t we human beings?”

The Israeli military has yet to respond to requests for comment, according to AP.

Palestinians claim that Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds attempting to reach food distribution centres, resulting in dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries.

kk/ma