20 Palestinians Killed While Waiting for Aid: Hamas Blames Israel, Israel Blames ‘Palestinian Gunmen’

Hamas blamed Israel for the deaths of at least 20 Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid on Thursday, a claim Israel denies.

Hamas’ Claim: The health ministry said the incident was “a result of the Israeli occupation forces targeting a gathering of citizens waiting for humanitarian aid to satisfy their thirst at the Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza.”

Israel’s Claim: Israeli spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X that “Palestinian gunmen opened fire near Gazan citizens an hour before a humanitarian aid convoy.” The IDF said, “A review of our operation systems and IDF forces on the ground found that no tank fire, airstrike or gunfire was carried out toward the Gazan civilians at the aid convoy.”

The Details: Over 150 Palestinians were also injured. CNN (Lean Left bias) reported that the death toll is expected to rise, according to Mohammad Ghrab, a doctor at the emergency unit at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

For Context: Organizations like the United Nations have reported that many Gazans are desperate for aid due to aid entering Gaza at a slower pace since the beginning of the war. President Biden recently said the U.S. will construct a temporary pier off the shore of Gaza to help deliver aid, though how it will be distributed remains unclear.

How The Media Covered It: The Hill (Center bias) and CNN gave context on current conditions in Gaza and a scramble for aid that killed over 100 Palestinians last month. Washington Times (Lean Right bias) offered a short article only on Thursday’s news.