By Chris Summers
Contributing Writer
The Israel Defense Forces accused Hamas of spreading “false information” after the Gaza health ministry, which is controlled by the terrorist group, claimed that 27 civilians were shot dead by Israeli troops on Tuesday as they headed toward an aid distribution site.
In a Tuesday statement, IDF spokesman Effie Defrin also said it was Hamas that was trying to prevent Palestinians from receiving aid, shooting at civilians, and throwing stones at them.
Defrin said, “Hamas spreads false information, which is unfortunately echoed by parts of the international media without any verification.”
Referring to reports that the IDF had fired at civilians in the vicinity of the aid distribution site, run by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, he said, “This is a completely false claim that amplifies the propaganda of the Hamas terrorist organization.”
Defrin, a brigadier general and former tank commander, said: “Earlier today, IDF troops fired warning shots approximately half a kilometer from the distribution area toward suspects who were approaching in a manner that endangered the troops’ safety. That incident is also being examined, and we will get to the bottom of it.”
The incident is believed to have taken place at the Flag Roundabout, half a mile from a GHF’s distribution site near the city of Rafah.
GHF said on Wednesday it was pausing aid distribution to enable discussions with the IDF about issues of civilian safety, traffic management and training for the troops.
IDF Says Hamas ‘Preventing’ Access
Defrin denied that the IDF was preventing residents of Gaza from reaching the aid distribution sites. He said, “On the contrary, we are enabling access. Hamas is the one preventing it.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday that its field hospital in Rafah experienced a mass-casualty event, with 27 people dead. The organization reiterated its call for civilians in Gaza to be protected.
“Early morning on 3 June, the 60-bed Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah received a mass casualty influx of 184 patients. This includes 19 cases who were declared dead upon arrival and eight more who died due to their wounds shortly after. The majority of cases suffered gunshot wounds. Again, all responsive patients said they were trying to reach an assistance distribution site,” the ICRC said in a statement.
The ICRC said that in one week, staff at the Red Cross Field Hospital have responded to “five mass casualty incidents, four of which occurred in the last 96 hours alone.”
“The ICRC urgently reiterates its call for the respect and protection of civilians. Civilians trying to access humanitarian assistance should not have to confront danger. Now more than ever, it is crucial that the rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian relief into Gaza is allowed and facilitated,” the organization said.
Earlier in the week, the Gaza health ministry said that more than 30 Palestinians were killed and nearly 170 injured on Sunday in southern Gaza near a food distribution site when the Israeli military opened fire on people as they gathered to receive food aid.
On Sunday, the IDF responded to the claims on social media platform X.
“False reports have been spread in recent hours, including serious allegations against the IDF regarding fire toward Gazan residents in the area of the humanitarian aid distribution site in Gaza,” the IDF said.
In his statement on Tuesday, Defrin said Hamas was attempting to disrupt the distribution of aid and added, “In recent days, armed operatives have been seen firing at civilians on their way to collect humanitarian assistance.”
He said masked gunmen had opened fire at close range and thrown stones at civilians attempting to collect aid in southern Khan Younis.
The GHF said there had been no violence in, or around, its distribution sites.
It said the IDF was investigating whether there had been casualties among civilians “after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone,” in an area that was “well beyond” its secure distribution site.
A GHF spokesman said it was “saddened to learn that a number of civilians were injured and killed after moving beyond the designated safe corridor.”
The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a statement on Tuesday: “Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.’ This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured.”
The OHCHR said there needed to be a “prompt and impartial investigation” into the incidents and that those responsible needed to be held accountable.
The agency, which is part of the United Nations secretariat, said, “Palestinians have been presented the grimmest of choices: die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meager food that is being made available through Israel’s militarized humanitarian assistance mechanism.”
On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, referring to the incident on Sunday, said, “The administration is aware of those reports and we are currently looking into the veracity of them because, unfortunately, unlike some in the media, we don’t take the word of Hamas with total truth.”
She accused the BBC of having to “correct and take down” a story it published on its website about the Sunday incident.
On Wednesday, the BBC responded. In a statement, the broadcaster said that the claim that the BBC took down a story after reviewing footage “is completely wrong.”
“We did not remove any story and we stand by our journalism. Completely separately, a BBC Verify online report on Monday reported a viral video posted on social media was not linked to the aid distribution center it claimed to show. This video did not run on BBC news channels and had not informed our reporting. Conflating these two stories is simply misleading,” the BBC said.
“It is vital to bring people the truth about what is happening in Gaza. International journalists are not currently allowed into Gaza and we would welcome the support of the White House in our call for immediate access.”
The Israeli military said it has nothing to add to Defrin’s statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
