Palestinian foreign ministry condemns ‘massacre’ of aid seekers in Gaza

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned an attack on Thursday targeting people waiting for aid in Gaza, calling it a “massacre” of civilians.

At least 70 Palestinians were killed and 250 wounded when the Israeli military fired on people waiting for food trucks near Gaza City, health authorities in Gaza said.

“Israel deliberately shelled citizens who were waiting for aid. The massacre is part of the genocide the occupation government commits against our people to empty the Strip’s north of residents,” the foreign ministry said in a press statement.

It called on the international community to urgently intervene and demand a ceasefire as it was “the only way to protect civilians.”

Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital received the bodies of 10 dead people and dozens of wounded Palestinians from western Gaza City, according to a Reuters report citing the head of the hospital Hussam Abu Safieyah.

“We don’t know how many are there in other hospitals,” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile the news agency cited the Israeli military as saying that it was not aware of any shelling by its forces on the area west of Gaza City.

“There is no knowledge of Israeli shelling in the area,” it quoted a military spokesperson as saying.