More than 100 people were killed in northern Gaza where Israeli troops opened fire Thursday, triggering panic as hungry Palestinian civilians were gathering around food aid trucks, Palestinian officials and eyewitnesses said.
CNN is unable to independently confirm the death toll, and the Israeli military has given a different account of the circumstances.
What we know: The carnage unfolded early Thursday when a group of trucks carrying desperately needed aid arrived at Haroun Al Rasheed Street in western Gaza City, in the Sheikh Ajleen neighborhood.
People had swarmed around the newly arrived aid trucks when Israeli forces started shooting, according to witnesses. Many of the victims died when they were run over by trucks, according to one account.
As the aid trucks tried to escape the area, others were accidentally rammed, causing further deaths and injuries, an eyewitness told CNN.
A local journalist in Gaza, Khader Al Za’anoun, who was at the scene and witnessed the incident, said the chaos and confusion that led to people being hit by the trucks only started once Israeli forces opened fire.
What the IDF says: An Israeli official told CNN IDF troops did use live fire on people surrounding aid truck as “the crowd approached the forces in a manner that posed a threat to the troops, who responded to the threat with live fire. The incident is under review.”
Israeli government spokesperson Avi Hyman also told reporters the incident was “obviously a tragedy, but we’re not sure of the specifics quite yet.”
What Hamas says: Hamas senior member Izzat Al-Risheq warned that Thursday’s incident could lead to the failure of ongoing talks aiming at the release of hostages and a ceasefire.
