At least two Palestinians were killed and more than 70 others injured on Friday morning near the Morag Corridor, south of Khan Younis, while they waited for humanitarian supplies.
According to reports, the victims had gathered for aid distribution when chaos broke out.
Eyewitnesses said that Israeli forces opened fire on civilians amid the scramble for essentials such as flour and milk.
“Today, milk came in and people started fighting each other to take the milk,” said Rakan Jneid, one of the Palestinians present at the scene. “The Israelis opened fire to take advantage of the situation.”
Another witness, Muhannad Abu Jarad, confirmed the gunfire, “The Israeli army was shooting at us,” he said.
Some civilians were reportedly run over in the stampede as people rushed toward the trucks carrying aid.
The Israeli military, in a brief update, said it launched one interceptor missile at what turned out to be a “false target”after sirens were triggered in Israeli communities near the Gaza border. “Details are being examined,” the army added.
Meanwhile, as starvation claims more lives in Gaza, US envoy Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, are scheduled to visit aid distribution points in the besieged territory.
Criticism continues to mount over Israel’s evacuation orders and its broader military strategy. Rights group B’Tselemwarned that Israel’s forced displacements in Gaza and potential transfers of Palestinians to designated “concentration zones” in the south amount to ethnic cleansing.
The group said the threats of forced relocation extend beyond Gaza, putting Palestinians in the West Bank and inside Israel at growing risk of displacement and marginalisation.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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