The Israeli army stated on Friday that its initial investigation into an incident, which Hamas claimed resulted in the death of over 100 Gazans as they rushed an aid convoy, revealed that troops “fired precisely” at approaching suspects.
Following calls from world leaders for an inquiry into the events of February 29, when the health ministry in Gaza, governed by Hamas, reported that Israeli forces shot at people scrambling for food from the convoy, the Israeli military shared its preliminary findings in a statement on Friday.
The military mentioned that a “stampede” occurred when a large crowd surrounded the convoy. Although the troops did not fire at the humanitarian convoy, they did fire at individuals who approached the forces nearby and were deemed a threat to them.
In an updated report released on Friday by the health ministry in Gaza, now citing 120 casualties from the February incident with at least 750 others injured, the statement reiterated previous claims that those affected were targeted by Israeli forces.
Witnesses recounted a scene where thousands rushed towards aid trucks in Gaza City early in the morning, with soldiers firing as the crowd surged close to the tanks.
A United Nations team that visited Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City observed numerous gunshot wounds among Palestinian patients in the aftermath of the incident.
The military’s statement revealed that around 12,000 Palestinians had gathered around the aid trucks, resulting in looting and incidents of harm to civilians due to the stampede and individuals being run over by the trucks.
In response to Gazans advancing towards Israeli army troops within a short distance, deemed a serious threat, the troops initially fired warning shots to deter suspects and eventually fired with precision at some individuals to eliminate the perceived threat.
This announcement emerged more than five months into the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group in Gaza, which commenced with a devastating attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7.
The conflict has resulted in casualties on both sides, with the health ministry reporting at least 30,878 deaths in Gaza, predominantly women and children. Israel claims approximately 99 hostages are still being held in Gaza, with 31 reported deaths among the hostages taken during the conflict.
