Israel has denied allegations that soldiers were ordered to fire at unarmed Palestinian crowds waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza, after hundreds of people were reported killed while approaching food distribution sites.
According to a report by the daily Haaretz newspaper, Israeli soldiers in Gaza were instructed by their commanders to shoot at the crowds of Palestinians approaching aid sites, even as it was evident that the crowds posed no threat. The report claims that Israeli forces recently began dispersing crowds with artillery shells, resulting in a sharp rise in casualties.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rejected the allegations, saying they did not instruct their forces to deliberately shoot at civilians, including those approaching distribution centers. “To be clear, IDF directives prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians,” the IDF said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz also rejected the report as “vicious lies designed to discredit the IDF.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Health reports that over 500 Palestinians have been killed while approaching aid sites or trucks carrying aid since May 27. Eyewitnesses claim that Israeli troops shot at crowds in repeated volleys of gunfire, consistent with machine guns used by the Israeli military.
The IDF has acknowledged firing “warning shots” at Palestinians approaching military positions near aid distribution sites and is examining reports of casualties. The Military Advocate General has instructed the IDF to investigate suspected war crimes near the aid sites.
Critics have raised concerns about the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which distributes food aid in southern and central Gaza. The organization has come under criticism for its chaotic distribution system, which has led to violence outside of its aid sites.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/27/middleeast/idf-gaza-aid-distribution-orders-intl-latam