‘Like they were hunting people': Over 50 killed in one of deadliest attacks at GHF distribution points
In one of the deadliest incidents in the string of killings by Occupation forces firing at Palestinians seeking aid, over 50 people in southern Gaza were killed and more than 200 injured in western Rafah.
The shooting broke out late Monday night and continued into the early hours of Tuesday. Israeli forces, positioned near the Tel al-Sultan distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — the upstart organization with ties to Israeli and American military and intelligence agencies — opened heavy fire on civilians waiting for aid.
One eyewitness, Tarek al-Bareem, went to the distribution site on Monday night, hoping to be among the first to access aid after the GHF announced it would begin distribution at 10 am. By then, thousands had already gathered near the route the Israeli military designated to reach the Tel al-Sultan site, including in the Fish Fresh and Sea Huts resorts on the coast and in the Tahlia roundabout in southern Khan Younis.
Israeli forces stationed nearby opened fire toward the crowds from their vehicles and from quadcopter drones, leaving many injured, according to Bareem. The shooting escalated overnight, especially in Tahlia.
'I saw several people fall in front of me,' Bareem said. 'I was hiding behind a small stone barrier, watching. A group of at least ten young men had also taken cover nearby. But soon, an Israeli artillery shell hit their position, killing them all.'
Israeli bulldozers began moving toward the area where their bodies had fallen. 'One of them started shoveling sand along with the bodies, covering them with dirt,' he said.
Israeli forces continued firing from quadcopters, vehicles and naval boats toward anyone in the area, he said. People tried to shield themselves by taking cover behind sand dunes and the rubble of destroyed buildings.
'It's difficult for civil defense crews and ambulances to access this area. So many bodies are still there,' he added.
The bodies of 59 people along with more than 200 who were injured reached Gaza's hospitals on Tuesday from the Tahlia roundabout massacre, Gaza's Health Ministry said.
Amid the Israeli fire, the distribution point opened nearly four hours earlier than announced and remained open for only 30 minutes, Bareem said. Only a small number of people were able to enter. 'When we saw some being let in, we tried to approach, but the Israeli forces resumed heavy fire,' he said.
Conflicting announcements from the GHF over the past days have left thousands of aid seekers in a 'trap,' eyewitnesses told Mada Masr — caught between no access to desperately needed aid and Israeli fire.
Another aid seeker, Ramez, left Khan Younis and arrived five minutes before the scheduled opening at the Alam area in northern Rafah — just a few meters from the designated route, he told Mada Masr. But by that time, the gates were already shut, distribution over, and Israeli forces were firing heavily in the direction of the crowd. Many were wounded, and others tried to rescue them under fire.
Shortly after, the shooting eased, but soldiers and tanks were heavily deployed in the area. 'People began inching toward the designated route and the shooting resumed,' he said. 'It felt like they were hunting people.'
A few did reach the aid point, Ramez added, but US personnel sprayed pepper spray in their faces, and many others were shot by Israeli forces.
'After witnessing these horrific scenes, I left,' he said. 'There were still many bodies and wounded people lying around.'
The deadly attack in Tahlia brings the total number of those killed while waiting for aid — and whose bodies were brought to hospitals — to 397, with over 3,031 injured, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.
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