Israel, Hamas dispute mass-casualty incident near Gaza aid trucks

The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry on Thursday accused Israeli forces of opening fire on civilians waiting for food from aid trucks. It said the gunfire killed roughly 100 people. The Israel Defense Forces countered on social media that dozens of deaths resulted from “pushing, trampling, and being run over by the trucks” as the supplies were looted.

Who’s telling the truth? The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry for much of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has not distinguished between the casualties of combatants and civilians. But just weeks ago, the ministry said that 12,300 children and 8,400 women had died during the war—back when it reported the total death toll from the war at a little over 28,000 people. Still, Israeli leaders and the Israel Defense Forces have said they avoid causing civilian casualties, describing online their efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

Where does the death toll stand now? The Gaza Health Ministry on Thursday said that its toll of Palestinians killed in the war had passed 30,000 people. United Nations Humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths echoed the ministry’s claim. “Life is draining out of Gaza at terrifying speed,” he said. Last month, the United States paused funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA. It said it was “extremely troubled” by allegations that UN employees had been involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed roughly 1,200 people.

Dig deeper: Listen to Mary Reichard’s discussion on The World and Everything in It podcast with Itamar Marcus on Palestine’s conflicting messaging about what’s going on in the war.