IDF Investigates Possible War Crimes After Deaths Near Food Hubs in Gaza

The Israeli military has launched an investigation into possible war crimes after evidence that troops have deliberately fired at Palestinian civilians near food hubs in Gaza.

- Jason Burke and Malak A Tantesh Gaza

Hundreds of people have been killed in recent weeks after being subjected to air attacks, shootings and bombardments by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while waiting for food to be distributed or making their way to distribution sites.

Yesterday the Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers as saying they had been told to fire at crowds near food distribution sites to keep them away from IDF positions. The soldiers said they had concerns about using unnecessary lethal force against people who appeared to pose no threat.

Haaretz also quoted unnamed sources as saying that the army unit established to review incidents that may involve breaches of international law had been tasked with examining soldiers' actions near distribution locations over the past month.

In a statement reported by Israeli media, the IDF rejected the accusations, saying that no forces had been ordered "to deliberately shoot at civilians, including those approaching the distribution centres". "To be clear, IDF directives prohibit deliberate attacks on civilians," the IDF said.

In a joint statement issued late yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, and Israel Katz, the defence minister, accused Haaretz of "malicious falsehoods designed to defame the IDF, the most moral military in the world".

Separately yesterday, Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, said the US-backed aid operation in Gaza was "inherently unsafe", giving a blunt assessment: "It is killing people."