At least 29 people were killed and more than 150 injured in the Gaza Strip in two separate attacks by Israel while they were waiting for aid, said the health ministry of Hamas-ruled Gaza.
In the first firing, eight people were killed after Israeli forces carried out an airstrike on Al-Nuseirat camp’s aid distribution centre in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian health officials.
Gaza’s health ministry informed that in another incident Israeli forces opened fire at a crowd of Palestinians waiting for aid trucks at a northern Gaza roundabout, in which at least at least 21 people were killed and more than 150 injured.
Israel denies attacks on aid centres, says ‘false’ reports
In a statement, Israel’s military denied attacking aid centres, describing the reports as “false.”
“As the IDF assesses the incident with the thoroughness that it deserves, we urge the media to do the same and only rely on credible information,” read the statement.
More than 2.3 million people, who were living in the Gaza Strip, have been displaced due to the conflict. During aid distribution, deadly incidents and chaotic situations have been reported as people have scrambled for food.
Palestinian health authorities on February 29 had said that Israeli forces killed more than 100 Palestinians, who were waiting for an aid delivery near Gaza City.
According to Israel, the deaths took place because the crowds had surrounded aid trucks which led to victims getting trampled or run over.
In Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza, a house was hit by an Israeli missile in which nine people were killed, as per Palestinian medics.
As per the residents, Israeli aerial and ground bombardments continued overnight across the Gaza Strip, including in the Rafah border where nearly a million displaced people have taken shelter.
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The war broke out after Hamas launched a sudden attack on south Israeli towns on October 7 in which 1,200 people were killed and 253 others taken hostage, as per Israeli government tallies.
Since the war started, more than 31,000 people have been killed by Israel’s air, sea and ground assault on the Gaza Strip and over 71,500 have been injured, as per Gaza health authorities.
(With inputs from agencies)
