TRANSCRIPT
Bodies strewn across the beaches of Gaza City and piled atop trucks after the latest horrifying chapter of the Israeli assault on Gaza.
This comes as Palestinian health officials say at least 112 Gazans have died and over 280 were wounded after the Israeli military opened fire on hundreds of desperate people attempting to access a rare food and aid delivery.
Anwar Helewa, an eye-witness to the incident, describes the terrifying moment.
"We ran towards the food aid to get some, the soldiers and tanks fired at us, the people in the front and back were shot some in the hand and others in the legs, we left the food and aid and ran. Every day people are shot in millions, it becomes blood for food. The aid is a lie, we don't need food."
Food shortages have been a problem across the Palestinian enclave since Israel escalated their longstanding blockade of the region, with top United Nations officials saying almost all Gazans are desperate for food and at least one quarter of the 2.3 million population are one step away from famine.
The convoy of 30 aid trucks carrying the urgent supplies to the northern city follows an announcement from health officials on Thursday that six children had died due to malnutrition and dehydration in a 24 hour period in the north of Gaza.
Kamel Abu Nahel is now being treated for his injuries in Al-Shifa hospital after he was shot while trying to secure food for his children.
"After they stopped shooting, we went back to get our aid. By the time I got flour and some canned goods and took it down from the truck, they shot at us. They shot me and the truck driver left and ran over my leg. I lost my nerves. If you want to get us aid this way, then you might as well not bring anything."
Gaza's Health Ministry has called the shocking event a "massacre" with those killed adding to the over 30,000 Palestinians health officials say have been killed in Israel's recent military bombardment of Gaza.
Stephane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman, says the UN chief has condemned what appears to be an attack on civilians, as well as the incredibly high rate of Palestinian deaths in Israel's assault.
"The Secretary-General condemns the incident today in northern Gaza, in which more than 100 people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking lifesaving aid. The Secretary-General is appalled by the tragic human toll of the conflict in Gaza, in which more than 30,000 people have now reportedly been killed and over 70,000 injured. Tragically, an unknown number of people lie under the rubble."
Spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, has disputed the notion that Israeli gunfire was to blame for the deaths during the aid delivery, instead putting the blame on the Palestinians themselves.
He says the high number of deaths were due to a stampede surrounding the aid trucks, claiming IDF members did fire their weapons but only as warning shots to disperse the crowds.
"Thousands of Gazans dispensed upon the trucks, some began violently pushing and even trampling other Gazans to death, looting the humanitarian supplies. The unfortunate incident resulted in dozens of Gazans killed and injured. The tanks that were there to secure the convoy cautiously tries to disperse the mob with a few warning shots. When the hundreds became thousands and things got out of hand, the tank commander decided to retreat."
United States President Joe Biden says he expects the incident to derail plans for a temporary ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas representatives which he had hoped to secure by next Monday.
The deal would include a six-week pause in fighting between the warring parties and would see some of the hostages released in exchange for Palestinian detainees held in Israel.
The United States has backed its close ally Israel since Hamas' October 7 attack where militants killed around 1,160 people and took about 250 hostages.
However, the US has recently become more critical of Israel's killing of civilians in Gaza.
State department spokesperson Matthew Miller says the 30,000 deaths reported in Israel's assault is far too many and has assured that the U-S is seeking to determine exactly what happened to the over 100 people killed during the aid delivery.
"More than 100 Palestinians are reported to have been killed and many more injured. I, first of all, want to express the United States' deepest condolences to the families of those who died. Far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed over the course of this conflict. Not just today, but over the past nearly five months. We are urgently seeking additional information on exactly what took place."
