Fri Jun 27 15:33:02 UTC 2025: **Headline: Israeli Soldiers Ordered to Fire on Palestinians Seeking Aid in Gaza, Report Alleges**
**Gaza -** An explosive report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz alleges that Israeli soldiers operating near food aid distribution sites in Gaza were deliberately ordered to fire upon unarmed Palestinians seeking assistance. The report, citing unnamed Israeli soldiers, claims troops were instructed to use lethal force against civilians who posed no threat.
According to Haaretz, soldiers described using machine guns from tanks and grenades against crowds. One soldier stated they witnessed incidents where civilians were hit while approaching under the cover of fog. Another described their station in Gaza as a “killing field,” claiming between one and five people were killed daily.
The allegations have prompted the Israeli Military Advocate General to launch an investigation into suspected war crimes at the aid sites. The investigation will be conducted by the army’s General Staff’s Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, which reviews incidents involving potential violations of the laws of war.
Nir Hasson, one of the report’s authors, told Al Jazeera that the directive to fire on civilians is part of a method to “control” the aid seekers. He stated that fire is used to move people, even when they are unarmed.
The Gaza Government Media Office condemned the alleged actions, calling them “war crimes” and accusing the Israeli army of pursuing a “systematic policy of genocide” under the guise of humanitarian relief. They cited the Haaretz report as evidence of direct military orders to fire on unarmed civilians who pose no threat.
Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Amman, Jordan, described the Haaretz report as “shocking.” She said that Palestinians in Gaza have stated that these distribution centers have become a death trap. Aid groups, including the United Nations, have also condemned the attacks on aid seekers.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that there have been massive violations of international law in Gaza and that when there is a violation of international law, there must be accountability.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s aid distribution sites “slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operates four sites in Gaza, has been the target of increased criticism since its establishment in May. Since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023, at least 56,331 people have been killed, with 132,632 wounded in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
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