The Israel Defense Forces have released drone footage showing armed and masked individuals in Gaza shooting civilians, claimed Israel on Sunday. This revelation comes amidst allegations, vehemently denied by the IDF, that the Israeli forces were responsible for the deaths of numerous people who were collecting humanitarian aid.
The IDF said it was releasing additional information amid false reports that its soldiers fired upon civilians at an aid distribution site.
“Preliminary findings suggest that the IDF did not target civilians while they were in or around the area designated for distributing humanitarian aid, and any reports suggesting otherwise are unfounded,” stated the IDF in a release. “Collaboration is ongoing between the IDF, the American Civil Organization (GHF), and various international aid groups to facilitate the safe transfer of aid to the people of Gaza – with the unequivocal intention of aiding Gaza residents, not Hamas.”
Israel has long said that Hamas routinely prevents aid from reaching civilians, while also deliberately putting them in harms’ way.
“Hamas, identified as a ruthless terrorist entity, deliberately puts the population in danger and deprives them of necessities to maintain its dominance over the Gaza Strip. Through its brutal tactics and efforts to obstruct humanitarian assistance, Hamas directly inflicts harm on the people of Gaza,” the IDF asserted on Sunday.
IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Hamas is spreading false rumors and “fake news” to stop Israel from distributing aid.
“I urge not to believe every rumor spread by Hamas,” he said while in Rafah. “We will investigate each and every one of those incidents and each and every one of those allegations. We are a professional military.”
Israel said footage released by its military shows armed men, who are not IDF troops, shooting at civilians near a humanitarian aid distribution site in Gaza. (Israel Defense Forces (IDF))
In a separate incident overnight, the IDF said troops fired warning shots in the direction of several people advancing toward them near a humanitarian aid distribution site.
“Overnight, approximately one kilometer away from the humanitarian aid distribution site, and outside the operating hours of the humanitarian aid distribution site, IDF troops acted to prevent several suspects from approaching the troops. During the activity, warning shots were fired toward several suspects who advanced toward the troops. There is no connection between this incident and the false claims made against the IDF.”
