The result of a preliminary investigation shows that the IDF did not open fire on civilians who were in the vicinity or in a distribution center for emergency aid, the army writes in a statement.
Thousands of desperate individuals are said to have streamed towards the distribution site in al-Mawasi in southern Gaza when shooting broke out, according to the civil defense.
"Shooting from all directions"
Testimonies describe the event as "horrific". The Israeli military is said to have ordered the crowd to disperse. But shortly after 03:30, Swedish time, Israeli tanks opened fire, a local journalist tells BBC.
There was shooting from all directions, from warships, tanks, and drones, says Amr Abu Teiba, who was in the crowd, to AP.
Witness Ibrahim Abu Saoud states that the military opened fire at a distance of around 300 meters and that he saw several people, including a young man who died from his injuries.
A nearby field hospital run by the Red Cross reports that at least 21 people were killed. However, according to Gaza's Hamas-controlled health authorities, which do not distinguish between civilian and military fatalities, at least 31 people lost their lives. The field hospital further reports that approximately 175 people were injured in the shooting, but does not specify who opened fire.
GHF: No "incidents"
The distribution site belongs to the controversial new US- and Israel-backed initiative Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
GHF claims that the distribution of supplies took place "without incidents" and dismisses, like Israel's army, reports of "fatalities, mass casualties, and chaos".
The foundation has taken over food distribution in Gaza despite opposition from, among others, the UN, where GHF has been criticized for using aid as a weapon. To receive emergency aid, Gazans are forced, among other things, to undergo facial recognition tests so that Israel can determine whether they are known members of Hamas or not.
The ongoing war broke out after terrorist-listed Hamas, which rules in Gaza, attacked Israel in October 2023. During the spring, Israel has carried out an 11-week-long blockade against Gaza, resulting in aid organizations repeatedly warning of famine.
