India has expressed deep concern over the deadly clashes in Gaza that occurred during the delivery of humanitarian assistance. At least 112 Palestinians were reportedly killed and over 700 injured in the tragic incident.
While acknowledging the complex situation, India reiterated the urgent need for the safe passage of aid and called for the de-escalation of tensions. The larger humanitarian plight of Gaza’s people remains a grave worry.
Meanwhile, differing versions have emerged of what exactly transpired. Hamas accused Israeli forces of using excessive force against civilians waiting near aid trucks. But Israel disputed this, saying the situationgot out of control due to overcrowding and allegations of supplies being looted.
According to one Israeli official, two separate stampedes took place hundreds of meters apart as people rushed to receive aid. Troops allegedly felt threatened in one and opened limited fire, though casualty figures are disputed.
The clashes threaten to derail fragile ceasefire talks underway in Qatar between Israel and Hamas. US President Biden conceded it could complicate negotiations aimed at securing Israeli hostages’ release.
Medics are struggling to cope with the mass casualties as violence flares again after months of bombardment in the blockaded enclave. With trust low, an impartial probe is needed to establish the facts and prevent further flare-ups.
As world condemnation grew over the deadly Gaza aid convoy incident, Israel sought to push back against Hamas’ version of events. The Israeli military said private contractors operated the trucks as part of an operation supervised by Israeli forces for days.
One official offered differing details, claiming there were two separate but connected incidents hundreds of meters apart. In the first, he said dozens were killed or injured in the chaos as crowds rushed to grab supplies from trucks.
In the subsequent incident, as trucks departed, the official contended some civilians aggressively approached troops, causing them to open fire in self-defense. An unknown number reportedly died in this “limited response.”
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari also alleged that in the initial melee, dozens were trampled or run over as tempers flared in the struggle over aid. He said tanks later fired warning shots to defuse rising tensions before withdrawing.
Both Israeli officials dismissed Gaza’s alarming toll figures. While refusing to provide their own, they sought to shift blame towards uncontrolled civilian actions, though acknowledging “events got out of hand.”
As grieving Gazans and aid groups condemned the violence, Israel worked to reshape the narrative surrounding the disaster through its military accounts. However, verifying their version remains difficult without an independent inquiry.
“No IDF strike was conducted towards the aid convoy,” he said at the briefing. “The IDF was conducting a humanitarian operation to secure the humanitarian corridor and allow the aid convoy to reach its designated distribution point.”
