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Kuwait Roundabout mass killings

Coordinates: 31°28′47.28″N 34°26′32.28″E / 31.4798000°N 34.4423000°E / 31.4798000; 34.4423000
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Kuwait Roundabout mass killings
Part of the Israel–Hamas war
Kuwait Roundabout is located in the Gaza Strip
Kuwait Roundabout
Kuwait Roundabout
Location within the Gaza Strip
LocationKuwait Roundabout, Gaza City, Gaza Strip
Coordinates31°28′47.28″N 34°26′32.28″E / 31.4798000°N 34.4423000°E / 31.4798000; 34.4423000
Date3–31 March 2024
Attack type
Massacre, mass shooting
Deaths20 civilians
Injured155 civilians
Perpetrators Israel Defense Forces (Palestinian claim)
Gazan militants (Israeli claim)

In March 2024, during the Israel–Hamas war, civilians seeking humanitarian aid were attacked at the Kuwait Roundabout near Gaza City, causing mass killings. According to the Gaza's Health Ministry, 21 Gazans were killed and 155 were wounded. Al Jazeera and Euro-Med Monitor reported eyewitness testimonies, including from Mohammed Ghurab, the director of emergency services at Al-Shifa Hospital, saying Israeli forces were responsible.[1][2][3]

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded to the accusations saying they did not open in fire at the convoy, claiming that armed militants fired against the Gazan civilians while waiting for the aid convoy to arrive.[4]

Background

In the aftermath of the 7 October attack by Hamas, Israel declared on 9 October that it would temporarily restrict the entry of food supplies into Gaza. This measure, as stated by the Israeli authorities, aims to mitigate the security risk posed by Hamas, including the prevention of military supplies being covertly brought in under the pretense of humanitarian assistance.[5][6] Since then, aid has been supplied to Gaza in various forms and under strict security. Despite global efforts, people in Gaza are suffering severe food shortages.[7]

According to the Gaza-based Government Media Office, as of 12 March 2024, Israeli attacks on crowds of aid seekers throughout Gaza had killed at least 400 people since the start of the conflict, including in the Flour massacre on 29 February.[8] The assaults were described by the Gaza Ministry of Health as "horrific massacres" by Israeli soldiers opening fire on crowds waiting for humanitarian assistance, while Israel disputes this.[9] By mid-March, Al Jazeera English stated that attacks on aid seekers in northern Gaza were "a near-daily occurrence" and the "new normal".[10][11] Without assigning blame, the United Nations human rights office has documented more than two dozen attacks as people wait for aid since mid-January 2024.[12]

Timeline

  • On 3 March 2024, dozens of civilians were killed and injured in an Israeli attack on aid seekers at the Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza City according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.[13]
  • On 4 March, another attack was reported at the Kuwaiti roundabout, after thousands of people waited all day for humanitarian aid, Israeli soldiers opened fire on them as soon as the trucks arrived, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.[10]
  • On 6 March, eight people were wounded after Israel fired live rounds at people seeking humanitarian aid at the Nabulsi roundabout.[14]
  • On 7 March, five people were killed while waiting for aid at the Nabulsi roundabout.[15]
  • On 8 March, several people seeking humanitarian aid were reportedly killed by Israeli open fire at the Kuwait Roundabout.[16]
  • On 19 March, at least 23 people were killed when Israeli fighter jets targeted a group of humanitarian aid coordinators at the Kuwaiti roundabout.[17]
  • On 23 March, the Gaza Health Ministry stated that 19 persons were killed while waiting for aid at the Kuwaiti Roundabout.[18] Israel denied responsibility.[19]
  • On 24 March, verified video showed an unknown number of casualties from an attack on the Kuwaiti roundabout, with Al Jazeera Arabic reporters stating that the attack was on members of a local aid distribution committee.[20]
  • On 27 March, the Gaza Health Ministry warned residents to avoid the al-Rashid and Kuwait Roundabouts after two people were reportedly severely wounded by Israeli snipers at the Kuwait Roundabout.[21]
  • On 28 March, video from near the Nabulsi Roundabout showed two men waving white flags being shot and killed by Israeli forces and then buried under sand.[22]
  • On 30 March, 17 people were reportedly killed and 30 injured by an Israeli attack on the Kuwait Roundabout.[23][24]
  • On 31 March, Israeli forces opened fire on humanitarian aid seekers at the Kuwait Roundabout, with witnesses describing the scene as "completely chaotic".[25]

14 March attack

On 14 March 2024, an attack occurred on the Kuwait Roundabout east of Gaza City, killing at least 21 people and injuring 155 others, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.[4][1] Al Jazeera reported some wounded were left bleeding on the streets for hours.[26] Others were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital, though some of the victims did not receive treatment due to a lack of staff and supplies at the hospital.[27][28]

Survivors of the attack asked why aid trucks were brought into northern Gaza at all if aid seekers were just going to be shot.[29]

Responsibility

Gaza Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal stated Israel was responsible for the attacks.[4] An Al Jazeera correspondent and testimony collected by the Euro-Med Monitor said that the firing came from an Israeli helicopter,[2] and later Al Jazeera reported that Israeli tanks fired indiscriminately.[26] Witnesses stated that Israeli tanks and a helicopter fired live ammunition at the aid seekers.[30] Mohammed Ghurab, the director of emergency services at Al-Shifa, stated people had been hit by "direct shots" from Israeli forces.[31][3]

Following the attack, the IDF released a video showing an armed individual, alleging that Palestinian gunmen were responsible for the high number of casualties. A Euro-Med Monitor investigation concluded that the gunfire depicted in the video appeared to have occurred at the Dawla Roundabout, roughly two kilometers from the Kuwait Roundabout. Bullets from the dead and wounded in these attacks were 5.56 x 45mm NATO bullets, which were discharged from Israeli army-issued weaponry.[32][33][34] The Gaza Media Office stated the attack was part of a "series of massacres and brutal attacks against the defenceless civilians".[35]

The Israeli military said "no tank fire, airstrike or gunfire was carried out toward the Gazan civilians at the aid convoy."[36] According to the IDF's account of the 14 March attack, Palestinian gunmen tried to prevent looting by firing at the crowd. They stated that an hour before the convoy's arrival, armed Palestinians opened fire on civilians waiting for aid, and that the shooting continued during the looting of the trucks, resulting in civilians being trampled and run over.[37][38]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Dozens of casualties as Israel army opens fire on aid-waiting Palestinians". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Israel uses helicopter to attack Kuwait Roundabout aid seekers". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b Burke, Jason. "Netanyahu approves Rafah attack plans as aid ship reaches Gaza". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "At least 20 people killed, dozens wounded in shelling while waiting for food aid, Gaza health ministry says". CNN.
  5. ^ Bodkin, Henry (2023-11-20). "Hamas used food aid sacks to smuggle bullets into Gaza, claims Israel". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  6. ^ "Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into fighting after attack by Palestinian militants". CNN. 2023-10-07. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  7. ^ "How much aid is getting into Gaza, and how?". 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  8. ^ Abu Azzoum, Tareq. "More Palestinian aid seekers killed waiting for food". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  9. ^ "'Dozens' of Palestinians killed in attack on Gaza City". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Another Israeli attack on aid seekers in Gaza City". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  11. ^ Mahmoud, Hani. "Aid seekers death toll rises to 11". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  12. ^ Abdulrahim, Raja (March 16, 2024). "U.N. Documents More Than Two Dozen Attacks on Gazans Waiting for Aid Since January" – via NYTimes.com.
  13. ^ "Israeli forces target truck carrying food aid". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Another Israeli attack on aid seekers in Gaza City: Al Jazeera correspondent". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  15. ^ Mahmoud, Hani. "More aid seekers killed at the same location as 'flour massacre'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Israeli forces again target aid seekers in northern Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  17. ^ Abu Azzoum, Tareq. "Tribal aid workers targeted in Gaza City, 23 killed". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  18. ^ "At least 19 reported killed as Israeli forces fire on Gaza aid seekers". Al Jazeera.
  19. ^ Khadder, Kareem; Al-Za'anoun, Khader; Kent, Lauren (March 23, 2024). "At least 19 Palestinians killed by Israeli military while waiting for aid in Gaza – Gazan authorities". CNN.
  20. ^ "Casualties in Israeli attack on Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza City". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  21. ^ "Authorities tell people to avoid aid centres amid Israeli attacks". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Palestinians killed waving white fabric – Israeli army shoots two unarmed men dead". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  23. ^ "Israeli attack on Palestinian aid seekers at Kuwait Roundabout kills 12". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  24. ^ "Death toll from Israeli attack on aid seekers rises to 17". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  25. ^ Abu Azzoum, Tareq. "Completely chaotic scenes after Israel targets people waiting for aid". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  26. ^ a b Mahmoud, Hani. "Palestinians prevented from recovering bodies at Kuwait Roundabout". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  27. ^ "20 dead bodies from Israeli attack on Kuwait Roundabout at al-Shifa Hospital: Ministry". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  28. ^ Mahmoud, Hani. "Aid seekers targeted by Israel unable to get care at al-Shifa Hospital". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  29. ^ Mahmoud, Hani. "Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City treated as 'death trap'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  30. ^ "Israel pins blame on 'armed Palestinians', truck drivers for aid seeker deaths". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  31. ^ Khadder, Kareem. "Attack kills 20 and injures 155 at Gaza food aid point, as Israel denies responsibility". Yahoo! News. CNN. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  32. ^ "Euro-Med Monitor refutes Israeli account of 'flour massacre' in Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  33. ^ Monitor, Euro-Med Human Rights. "Israeli army is attempting to evade responsibility for yet another flour massacre in Gaza". Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  34. ^ Motamedi, Maziar. "Gaza war: 'This humanitarian catastrophe must not be allowed to worsen'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  35. ^ "Israel's army targeted defenceless Palestinians in Gaza City: Media office". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  36. ^ "Middle East Crisis: At Least 20 Killed in Attack While Waiting for Aid, Gazan Officials Say". March 15, 2024 – via NYTimes.com.
  37. ^ "Palestinian gunmen, not Israeli forces, behind Gaza aid convoy deaths, IDF finds". March 15, 2024 – via YnetNews.com.
  38. ^ "Spotlight on the Israel-Palestinian Conflict March 14 – 19, 2024". The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. March 20, 2023.
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