Netanyahu Rejects Reports of Orders to Shoot Palestinians at Gaza Aid Sites

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz strongly dismissed a report from Haaretz, which claimed that Israeli troops had directives to shoot Palestinians who approached aid distribution points within Gaza. The report was labeled as “malicious falsehoods aimed at defaming” Israel’s military.

Reports from the Gaza Health Ministry indicate that more than 500 Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been injured while trying to obtain food since the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) commenced its aid distribution a month prior. Accounts from witnesses indicate that Israeli forces have been shooting at groups moving towards aid distribution centers. However, the military maintains that any gunfire has been merely “warning shots” and claims it is looking into reports of civilian casualties in the vicinity of these sites.

The GHF, responsible for food distribution in southern Gaza, stated that it had no knowledge of these incidents but called on Israel to conduct an investigation and make the results public.

Amid a dire situation, individuals in Gaza are encountering turmoil and unrest while trying to reach aid centers amidst the ongoing blockade. Numerous individuals traverse military areas for extended periods, facing the peril of gunfire, resulting in injuries or fatalities for some along the way.

On Friday, Doctors Without Borders criticized the aid distribution process, labeling it “a slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid” and urged for its immediate halt.

In a recent statement, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concerns regarding Israeli military operations, describing them as having led to a “humanitarian crisis of horrific proportions.” He emphasized that “the search for food must never be a death sentence.” He called on leaders to achieve a ceasefire and revert to the U.N.’s established framework for aid delivery.

Following the attack on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals in Israel and sparked conflict, Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that over 56,000 people have lost their lives and more than 132,000 have sustained injuries. Israel asserts that its operations focus on militants, attributing civilian casualties to Hamas's tactics of operating within densely populated regions.

‍