Israeli troops 'shot Gazans with hands raised' in worst aid massacre yet

Palestinian officials say 93 killed after flour convoy entered north of Gaza

Palestinians crowded around an aid convoy entering northern Gaza before Israeli troops opened fire. EPA

Israeli troops have been accused of shooting Palestinians who approached a food bank with their hands up, in the bloodiest incident yet linked to aid deliveries to Gaza.

One witness told The National that “gunfire erupted from all directions” as thousands of people surrounded a convoy bringing flour into Gaza on Sunday. Officials in the strip said 93 people were killed.

The witness, Musab Abu Omer, said his family and friends “rushed out from our home” after hearing that lorries carrying flour had arrived as food supplies ran low during an Israeli blockade.

“We hadn’t had white bread in more than 14 days. Imagine what it means to go that long without even basic food,” he said.

When his relatives arrived, thousands of people were waiting, Mr Abu Omer said. But, as people approached the lorries, gunfire began and shells fell on the crowd, he said. He was shot in the leg and fell to the ground, unable to see his companions.

Later, he learnt that four of the young men who had come with him, his cousin and three friends, all under 30, had been killed. “They went out just to feed their families. This is what happened to them,” he said. “The world has been watching us starve for months.”

Israel disputed the death toll and said its troops fired warning shots to “remove an immediate threat”. The World Food Programme said the convoy had entered through the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza after assurances from Israel that armed forces would not be present.

Palestinians mourn for people shot dead at a food distribution point on Sunday. EPA

Rami Abdo, director of the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, described the incident as “a deliberate act of murder.” According to his organisation's documentation, Israeli forces ordered civilians to approach with their hands raised in a clear gesture of surrender, then opened fire as they moved forward.

“This was not crossfire. This was a massacre,” Mr Abdo told The National. “It reveals the true face of the occupation, a calculated attempt to eliminate a population through starvation, killing, and forced displacement.”

Witnesses report that others are missing at the scene, their bodies inaccessible as the threat of gunfire remains in the area. The testimonies come as Israel widens its offensive in Gaza into the Deir Al Balah area.

Hunger in Gaza

Palestinian aid agency UNRWA reports that all residents of Gaza are now suffering from malnutrition, with widespread food insecurity and starvation. Ismail Al Thawabta, the director of the Government Media Office in Hamas-run Gaza, said the strip “has entered dangerous levels of deliberate famine, with no intervention from the international community”.

Since October 7, 2023, when the war began with Hamas's attack on Israel, dozens of children have died due to malnutrition, with a total of 620 people confirmed dead from starvation and lack of medicine, according to Gaza officials.

“In Gaza, food is no longer a right. It’s a distant dream,” Mr Al Thawabta said. “People search all day for something to eat and return empty-handed.”

Flour has become a precious commodity in Gaza as Israel maintains tight control of crossing points. AFP

Omar Hijazi, a 33-year-old father of five, spoke about the daily struggle for survival. “We can’t even find a single loaf of bread in a day,” he said.

“People are collapsing in the streets. We’re not talking about nutritious food any more, we’re just trying not to die.”

Like many others, Mr Hijazi said the war itself has faded into the background. “We don’t talk about bombs or martyrs. We talk about bread and hunger. Because hunger is killing us faster than anything else,” he told The National.

Human rights organisations have accused Israel of inflicting conditions that amount to war crimes under international law, including deliberate starvation of civilians. Israel blames Hamas for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Yet the international response remains paralysed, with little movement towards a ceasefire or emergency intervention.

“The entire world is watching the slaughter of Gaza and its killing through starvation and genocide, without moving a muscle or batting an eye, as if the people there are not human, and not covered by international agreements and conventions.” Mr Al Thawabta said.