The IDF released a video on Friday of armed Palestinians shooting at Gazan civilians about an hour before the incident on Thursday in which dozens of Palestinians were killed and injured while waiting for humanitarian aid at Gaza’s Kuwaiti roundabout.
“We emphasize that there was no shooting by IDF forces towards the aid convoy in Kuwait Square,” the IDF noted in a statement provided along with the video. “The IDF continues to investigate the incident while making a concerted effort to bring in humanitarian aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip while Hamas terrorists harm the residents of Gaza and spread lies in order to accuse the State of Israel for this.”
Although the enclave’s Hamas-run Health Ministry claimed that Israeli forces targeted the group of people waiting for humanitarian aid, the IDF has denied the accusations and proceeded to investigate the incident further.
Palestinian gunmen fire at those waiting for aid
As the trucks carrying the aid entered, gunmen continued firing while they looted the trucks. In addition to the shooting, civilians were also found to have been run over by the trucks.
“The reports that the IDF attacked dozens of Gazans on Thursday evening at a humanitarian aid distribution point are false,” IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichai Adraee said.
Further investigation into the IDF’s operational systems ruled out the possibility that tank fire, air fire, or ground force fire was directed at the Gazan crowd in the area of Gaza’s Kuwaiti roundabout on the army’s part.
Regardless, the IDF continues to investigate the incident following the publication of the video while reiterating that Hamas terrorists are targeting civilians in Gaza and spreading lies that place the blame on Israel for actions that Hamas is implicated in.