Gaza doctor says gunfire accounted for 80% of the wounds at his hospital from aid convoy bloodshed

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The head of a Gaza City hospital that handled some of these wounded in the bloodshed surrounding an aid convoy stated Friday that greater than 80% had been struck by gunfire, suggesting there had been heavy taking pictures by Israeli troops.

At least 112 Palestinians have been killed and greater than 750 others have been injured Thursday, in keeping with well being officers, when witnesses stated close by Israeli troops opened fireplace as large crowds raced to drag items off an aid convoy. Israel stated many of the lifeless have been trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved towards them in a threatening method.

Dr. Mohammed Salha, the performing director of Al-Awda Hospital, advised The Associated Press that 176 wounded have been dropped at the facility, of whom 142 had suffered gunshot wounds. The different 34 confirmed accidents from a stampede.

He could not deal with the trigger of demise of these killed, as a result of the our bodies have been taken to government-run hospitals to be counted. Officials at the different hospitals could not instantly be reached regarding the lifeless and different wounded.

The bloodshed underscored how chaos amid Israel’s virtually 5-month-old offensive has crippled the effort to convey aid to Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians, 1 / 4 of whom the U.N. says face hunger.

The U.N. and different aid teams have been pleading for secure corridors for aid convoys, saying it has grow to be almost inconceivable to ship provides in most of Gaza as a result of of the issue of coordinating with the Israeli army, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of public order, with crowds of determined individuals overwhelming aid convoys.

U.N. officers say starvation is even worse in the north, the place a number of hundred thousand Palestinians stay although the space has been remoted and principally leveled since Israeli troops launched their floor offensive there in late October. U.N. companies haven’t delivered aid to the north in additional than a month as a result of of army restrictions and lack of safety, however a number of deliveries by different teams reached the space earlier this week.

Thursday’s convoy wasn’t organized by the U.N. Instead, it appeared to have been monitored by the Israeli army, which stated its troops have been readily available to safe it to make sure it reached northern Gaza. The ensuing taking pictures and bloodshed elevate questions over whether or not Israel will be capable to hold order if it goes by means of with its postwar plans for Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put ahead a plan beneath which Israel would retain open-ended safety and political management over the territory — an efficient reoccupation — after Hamas is destroyed. Under the plan, Palestinians picked by Israel would administer the territory, however it’s unsure if any would cooperate.

That would depart Israeli troops, who all through the warfare have responded with heavy firepower once they understand a attainable risk, to supervise the inhabitants amid what the worldwide neighborhood says should be a large postwar humanitarian and reconstruction operation.

Israel launched its air, sea and floor offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault into Israel, during which militants killed round 1,200 individuals, principally civilians, and kidnapped round 250 others. Since the assault started, Israel has barred entry of meals, water, drugs and different provides, besides for a trickle of aid getting into the south from Egypt at the Rafah crossing and Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing.

Despite worldwide calls to permit in additional aid, the quantity of provide vehicles is way lower than the 500 that got here in each day earlier than the warfare.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated that the Palestinian demise toll from the warfare has climbed to 30,228, with one other 71,377 wounded. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures, however says girls and kids make up round two-thirds of these killed.

Thursday’s bloodshed occurred as a convoy of round 30 vehicles entered Gaza City earlier than daybreak.

Kamel Abu Nahel, who was being handled for a gunshot wound at Shifa Hospital, stated that he and others went to the distribution level in the center of the night time as a result of they heard there could be a supply of meals.

“We’ve been eating animal feed for two months,” he stated.

He stated that Israeli troops opened fireplace on the crowd as individuals pulled packing containers of flour and canned items off the vehicles, inflicting the Palestinians to scatter, with some hiding beneath automobiles.

After the taking pictures stopped, individuals went again to the vehicles, and the troopers opened fireplace once more. He was shot in the leg and fell over, after which a truck ran over his leg because it sped off, he stated.

The Israeli army stated that dozens of the deaths have been brought on by a stampede and that some have been run over by vehicles as drivers tried to get away.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief army spokesperson, stated that Israeli troops guarding the space fired pictures “solely in the direction of a risk after the crowd moved towards them in a method that endangered them.” He stated the troops “didn’t open fire on those seeking aid.”

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan accused Israel of focusing on civilians in the tragedy. In separate statements, they referred to as for elevated secure passages for humanitarian aid. They additionally urged the worldwide neighborhood to take decisive motion to strain Israel to abide by worldwide regulation and to achieve an settlement for a right away cease-fire.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that Thursday’s bloodshed might set again cease-fire efforts. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been working to safe a deal between Israel and Hamas for a pause in combating and the launch of some of the hostages Hamas took throughout its Oct. 7 assault. After a spherical of releases throughout a week-long cease-fire in November, about 130 hostages stay captive in Gaza, although Israel says 1 / 4 of them are believed to be lifeless.

Mediators hope to achieve an settlement earlier than the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins round March 10. But to date, Israel and Hamas have remained far aside in public on their calls for.

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Bassem Mroue reported from Beirut.

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Find extra of AP’s protection at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war