Charity accuses Israel of deadly strike on Gaza office
"Yesterday morning, at around 11:00 am local time, a building in Deir Al Balah housing a Medecins du Monde office was attacked by drones," the aid group said. Its staff had not been present as they had been off as part of the Eid Al Adha holiday, it added. "At least eight people were killed in the bombardment. All were on the last floor of the building," it said, without providing more details on those killed.
"Medecins du Monde had informed the Israeli military of the presence of its office, which had officially been declared 'deconflicted', or shielded from Israeli military attacks under humanitarian coordination agreements," it said. "However, as during previous Israeli attacks, the team received no forward warning that would have allowed it to evacuate the building or take measures to protect anyone inside," it added. Several other non-governmental organisations as well as Palestinians displaced by the war are based in the same area, it said.
Israel is facing mounting pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, whose entire population the United Nations has warned is at risk of famine. Medecins du Monde last month, after more than two months of a total blockade on Gaza, accused Israel of using hunger as "a weapon of war" in the Palestinian territory. Israel recently allowed some deliveries to resume through the newly formed, US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. But the United Nations refuses to work with it, citing concerns over its practices and neutrality. Dozens of people have been killed near GHF distribution points since late May, according to Gaza's civil defence agency. It said Israeli forces killed 31 people waiting for aid early on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Gaza civil defence agency said Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting to enter a US-backed food distribution centre on Wednesday, killing dozens and wounding "about 200". "We transported at least 31 martyrs and about 200 wounded as a result of Israeli tank and drone fire on thousands of citizens... on their way to receive food from the American aid centre," civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
Restrictions imposed on media in the Gaza Strip and the difficulties of access on the ground mean AFP is not able to independently verify the death tolls announced by the civil defence agency. Bassal said thousands of Palestinians had been gathering since 2 am (2300 GMT Tuesday) in the hope of reaching the US and Israeli-backed food distribution centre. "Israeli tanks fired several times, then at around 5:30 am intensified their fire, coinciding with heavy fire from drones targeting civilians," he said.
Mohammad Abu Salima, head of Gaza City's Al Shifa Hospital, said that it had received the bodies of 24 people killed while waiting to enter the aid centre and was treating 96 who had been wounded. Al Awda Hospital, in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, said in a statement that it had received seven bodies and was treating 112 people who had been wounded in the same incident. — AFP
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