In yet another grim episode of violence in Gaza, at least 25 Palestinians were killed and 146 others sustained injuries early Tuesday when Israeli troops and drones opened fire on crowds awaiting food aid along Salah al-Din Road, south of Wadi Gaza. The attack, described by eyewitnesses as a “massacre,” unfolded as hundreds had gathered in hopes of receiving humanitarian aid, as per a report by the Telegraph India.
According to survivors and medical personnel, Israeli tanks and drones targeted civilians despite their apparent non-combatant status. Ahmed Halawa, one of the survivors, said, “It was a massacre. Many people were either martyred or wounded. The tanks and drones fired even as people were running to save their lives.”
Another eyewitness, Hossam Abu Shahada, recalled that drones hovered above the area before the shooting began. “It was chaotic and bloody,” he said. “I saw several people lying motionless on the ground.”
The injured were rushed to Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where medical teams treated the majority of victims. Of the 146 injured, 62 remain in critical condition and have been shifted to other medical centers in central Gaza. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah also reported receiving six additional bodies from the same incident.
As of now, the Israeli military has not issued any statement regarding the attack.
This incident comes amid the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza that began following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel. That attack reportedly left around 1,200 Israelis dead and saw 251 people taken hostage. Many hostages have since been released in temporary ceasefire agreements.
The Gaza Health Ministry estimates that nearly 56,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in the conflict so far, with over half of the casualties being women and children. However, the ministry does not provide a breakdown distinguishing civilians from combatants.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen as food, medical aid, and essential supplies remain scarce, and deadly assaults on aid-seeking civilians worsen the already dire situation.
