The international reaction is clear: Israel should clarify why a rush for aid supplies in Gaza City led to a catastrophe. Germany and the USA in particular are pushing for answers.
International calls for a ceasefire have become louder after many Palestinians died as aid arrived in Gaza City. At the same time, several states called on Israel to clarify the circumstances of the deadly disaster.
“The Israeli army must fully explain how the mass panic and the shooting came about,” explained Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on the online service X, formerly Twitter. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said the ministry was already in contact with the Israeli government and had “expressed the expectation.”
“Closer to dying than alive”
Baerbock expressed her condolences to the victims’ families on X. She called for more humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. The people there are “closer to dying than alive.” Baerbock reiterated her call for a humanitarian ceasefire “so that the hostages can finally be released from the hands of Hamas and more people don’t die in Gaza. And help can be distributed safely.”
USA sees negotiations at risk
The US government is also in contact with the Israeli government about the incident and is demanding answers. It is the US understanding that an investigation is ongoing, said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. “We will closely monitor this investigation and push for answers.”
There is no reliable information about what happened, said Miller. “We urgently need additional information about what exactly happened.” Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden expressed fears that the deadly incident would complicate negotiations for a new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Gray areas: Built-up areas in the Gaza Strip, hatching: Israeli army
Macron: “Respect for international law”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an “independent investigation”. Those responsible for the tragedy must be identified and the events reconstructed, it said in a statement. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously expressed his “deep indignation” about the events on Platform X.
“I condemn these shootings in the strongest possible terms and demand truth, justice and respect for international law,” wrote the head of state. An immediate ceasefire is essential.
Italy and Spain also condemned the events and called for a ceasefire.
EU promises 68 million euros
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was “deeply disturbed by the images from Gaza.” Every effort must be made to investigate what happened and ensure transparency, she wrote on X. Humanitarian aid is a lifeline for those in need and access to it must be guaranteed.
Von der Leyen’s Brussels authority announced that “early next week” it would pay out 50 million euros in aid to the UN Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, which was withheld because of allegations of the involvement of UNRWA employees in the radical Islamic Hamas attack on Israel.
In addition, a further 68 million euros are to be paid out as emergency aid for the Palestinians. The EU Commission said the money should go to international partners such as the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.
Qatar: “Heinous massacre”
According to Foreign Office spokeswoman Mao Ning, China was “shocked”. She called on the “concerned parties and especially Israel” to end the fighting. The safety of civilians must be safeguarded and a more serious humanitarian disaster avoided, she said.
Strong criticism of Israel came from several Arab states. Saudi Arabia condemned “the targeting” of civilians. It was a “heinous massacre” committed by Israel, said a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry on Thursday evening.
Qatar, a key mediator in the war, called for international action to end Israeli “aggression.” In New York, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting to address the deadly events in Gaza.
Targeted shots or chaos and crowds?
What exactly happened in Gaza City on Thursday when an aid convoy arrived remains unclear. What is certain is that many desperate people tried to get relief supplies. According to the health authority controlled by the Islamist Hamas, more than a hundred are said to have died. Over 700 were injured.
While the Palestinian side said that Israeli soldiers had deliberately fired into the crowd, the Israeli military blamed the chaos and crowds for the deaths. Shots were fired, but only a few people were injured.
Army spokesman Peter Lerner told CNN that initial reports indicate that a group of people had approached Israeli soldiers. The military then fired warning shots into the air. However, the group continued to approach the soldiers and posed a threat, whereupon the soldiers opened fire. According to Israeli media reports, they were said to have targeted the legs.
WHO complains Supply situation
The World Health Organization (WHO) also attributes the incident in the Gaza Strip to the catastrophic supply situation in the Palestinian territory. The people in the coastal strip are so desperate for food, water and other supplies that they are risking their lives, said WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier in Geneva. “This is the real drama, this is the real catastrophe here,” he said.
Antje Passenheim, ARD New York, tagesschau, March 1st, 2024 7:21 a.m