Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier described deaths of seven humanitarian staff as “tragic” and “unintentional”
The convoy of help staff hit by Israeli missiles in Gaza on Monday night time was fired at 3 times due to a suspicion {that a} Hamas operative was touring with the group, Haaretz has reported, citing protection sources conversant in the small print.
Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that an IDF strike had killed seven humanitarian staff within the Palestinian enclave, saying its forces had “unintentionally hit harmless individuals” in a “tragic” incident.
Reporting by Haaretz, nevertheless, suggests the convoy was deliberately focused. The outlet’s protection sources stated the automobiles had been “clearly marked on the roof and sides” with the WCK emblem, however that an IDF unit accountable for the safety of the route “recognized an armed man” with the group and “suspected that he was a terrorist.”
After unloading meals help at a warehouse, the convoy was driving again alongside the IDF-approved route, when the unit “ordered the drone operators to assault one of many automobiles with a missile.”
The sources advised Haaretz, nevertheless, that the person who had ostensibly been armed and on the meals truck, by no means left the warehouse.
The convoy was hit 3 times in succession, they stated, explaining that some passengers of the automobile hit first had been seen exiting the automobile and “even notified the individuals accountable that they had been attacked.”
Seconds later, one other missile hit the automobile, the sources stated. Because the third automobile approached, passengers had been trying to switch the wounded into it when a 3rd missile hit them. All seven had been killed within the strikes.
The protection sources advised Haaretz the incident was “irritating” as a result of the IDF is “making an attempt its hardest to precisely hit terrorists” and using all intelligence out there, solely to have some models “determine to launch assaults with none preparation.”
Individually, an investigation by Al Jazeera’s Sanad Verification Company discovered that Israel “intentionally focused” the automobiles in “three consecutive assaults”. The outlet used open-source info, witness testimonies, in addition to photos from the location, to place collectively a chronological and geographical timeline of the incident.
World Central Kitchen (WCK) “instantly” paused its operations within the area following the deaths, as Israel continues to dam help into northern Gaza amid warnings from the United Nations and NGOs of imminent famine. CEO Erin Gore referred to as the deaths “unforgivable”.
Israel declared conflict on Hamas after the Palestinian militants carried out a shock cross-border raid on October 7 final yr, killing some 1,100 individuals and taking greater than 200 hostages. The Israeli army marketing campaign has since left at the least 32,000 individuals lifeless, based on the Palestinian Well being Ministry.
The UN Palestinian refugee company (UNRWA) stated final month that 165 of its help staff have been killed for the reason that newest battle broke out.
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