At least 20 people were killed and 155 injured in shelling on March 14, while they were awaiting food aid in Gaza, CNN reported citing the health ministry in the Palestinian enclave. Mohammad Ghrab, a doctor at the emergency unit at Al Shifa Hospital, said the death toll is expected to rise as casualties are still being shifted to the hospital, the report stated.
Earlier, a witness on the spot said dozens of people died, with videos purportedly showing tens of bodies lying at the scene.
The Palestinian health ministry described the incident as “a result of the Israeli occupation forces targeting a gathering of citizens waiting for humanitarian aid to satisfy their thirst at the Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza.”
According to eyewitnesses, the area was struck by what sounded like artillery fire or a tank.
In a statement on March 14, Gaza Civil Defense Spokesman Mahmoud Basal accused Israel of being responsible for the attack. “The Israeli occupation forces are still practising the policy of killing innocent citizens waiting for relief aid as a result of the famine occurring in the northern Gaza Strip,” CNN quoted Mahmoud Basal as saying.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced that humanitarian aid will for the first time enter Gaza by sea.
“Humanitarian aid entering Gaza from land, air and sea: For the first time, humanitarian aid to arrive to Gaza by sea. A ship carrying humanitarian aid from @WCKitchen and funded by UAE set sail on Tue. from the Larnaca port in Cyprus toward Gaza,” the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) stated in a post on X.
Humanitarian aid entering Gaza from land, air and sea: For the first time, humanitarian aid to arrive to Gaza by sea. A ship carrying humanitarian aid from@WCKitchen and funded by UAE set sail on Tue. from the Larnaca port in Cyprus toward Gaza.
1/3 pic.twitter.com/4USmSr13DV— COGAT (@cogatonline) March 14, 2024
Amid the ongoing war with Israel, Muhammad Abu Hasna, a commander in Hamas’ Operations Unit, was precisely targeted and eliminated in the area of Rafah, the IDF informed on March 14.
🔴 Eliminated: Muhammad Abu Hasna, a commander in Hamas’ Operations Unit, was precisely targeted and eliminated in the area of Rafah.
Among other terrorist activities, Hasna was involved in taking control of humanitarian aid and distributing it to Hamas operatives. pic.twitter.com/yz7vZFlI75
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 13, 2024
🔴ELIMINATED: Hadi Ali Mustafa, a Hamas terrorist in Lebanon responsible for advancing Hamas' international activity and terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets.
The IDF will continue to operate against Hamas in every area in which it operates. pic.twitter.com/et4dLjlSle
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 13, 2024
Taking to X, IDF posted, “Hadi Ali Mustafa, a Hamas terrorist in Lebanon responsible for advancing Hamas’ international activity and terrorist attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets. The IDF will continue to operate against Hamas in every area in which it operates.”
(with inputs from ANI)
