Over 60 people were killed in northern Gaza after Israeli forces opened fire near an aid site Wednesday, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
About 600 others were injured, Yousef Abu al-Rish, undersecretary of the Gaza Ministry of Health, told CNN.
“Al-Shifa Medical Complex has received 50 martyrs and 300 injured,” Dr. Mohammad Abu Salmiya, director of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, told CNN, adding that there are “approximately 20 martyrs and 100 injuries” in three other nearby hospitals.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said the incident happened while Palestinians were waiting for aid near the Zikim area in northwestern Gaza.
Gaza Civil Defense released distressing footage showing dozens of lifeless bodies, predominantly young men, strewn across the floor. The bodies exhibit visible signs of injuries across various parts, with some covered in blood.
The Israeli military has said its troops fired warning shots in northern Gaza on Wednesday, following multiple reports of dozens of aid-seekers killed in the area. The IDF added that they are “not aware of any casualties.”
The IDF said “dozens of people were seen “gathering around aid trucks in northern Gaza, and in close proximity to IDF troops operating in the area,” on Wednesday.
“The Israeli troops ‘fired warning shots in the area, not directed at the gathering, in response to the threat posed to them,” the IDF added.
An Israeli security official told CNN citing “an initial investigation,” saying, “it appears that during the gathering, sounds of gunfire were heard from within the crowd and internal friction among Gazans within the gathering.”
“In addition to several cases of people being run over by the aid trucks,” the source added.
CNN cannot independently verify the circumstances of the incident.
