Int'l pressure mounting on 'Israel' to investigate Flour Massacre
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The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) opened fire on Palestinian civilians on Thursday while waiting in line to receive aid packages in northern Gaza.
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A Palestinian man receives medical care at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza after Israeli troops killed Palestinians waiting for food. (AFP)
The Israeli occupation is under increasing international pressure to conduct an investigation after over 100 Palestinians were murdered in Gaza on Thursday when desperate masses swarmed around relief vehicles and Israeli forces opened fire.
More than 110 people were killed in the massacre in al-Rasheed Street, to the west of Gaza City, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported, while tens of others were wounded in the attack that targeted Palestinian civilians who were waiting in line to receive aid packages in the northern Gaza Strip, a field source from the Palestinian Resistance told Al Mayadeen.
In this context, the United Kingdom demanded an "urgent investigation and accountability," with David Cameron, the foreign secretary, calling the deaths "horrific".
Earlier today, French President Emmanuel Macron strongly criticized the Israeli military, calling the situation in Gaza "terrible" and urging the protection of civilians.
French President Emmanuel #Macron fervently condemned the Israeli occupation forces for firing upon hundreds of #Palestinians who were waiting for food aid, amid a deliberate and unprecedented famine gripping the besieged Gaza Strip enclave.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 1, 2024
Expressing profound outrage at the… pic.twitter.com/ERfDfTFhAX
"Deep indignation at the images coming from Gaza where civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers. I express my strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice, and respect for international law," Macron said in a post on X.
"A ceasefire must be implemented immediately to allow humanitarian aid to be distributed," Macron added.
Deep indignation at the images coming from Gaza where civilians have been targeted by Israeli soldiers.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 1, 2024
I express my strongest condemnation of these shootings and call for truth, justice, and respect for international law.
Stephane Sejourne, France’s minister for Europe and foreign affairs, told France Inter that "atrocities in Gaza" must be called as they are.
He vowed that if an investigation found "Israel" guilty of a war crime through its shootings, then this would be "a matter for the judiciary."
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, urged an investigation and cited that "transparency" was crucial.
Gaza's Health Ministry reported that 760 were wounded in the attack.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock wrote on social media that the Israeli occupation "must fully explain how the mass panic and shooting could have happened."
German FM finally wakes from longterm coma & seemingly notices something bad might be happening:
— Oonagh (@Oonagh1526079) March 1, 2024
‘The reports from Gaza shock me. The Israeli army must fully explain how the mass panic and shooting could have happened.’
Well done Annalena.
The White House called the number of deaths “tremendously alarming", while as usual expecting "additional information" regarding what occurred.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, called the massacre proof that the Security Council was paralyzed and US vetoes were "costing the Palestinian people their lives."
Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares stated that the "unacceptable" incidents highlighted the "urgency of a ceasefire," while the EU's external affairs leader, Josep Borrell, expressed shock at "yet another carnage among civilians in Gaza desperate for humanitarian aid."
'Israel' justifies its massacre
The Israeli military justified the massacre on the basis that the army sensed danger as civilians approached them, prompting the army to open fire, as per an Israeli source to Anadolu Agency.
They further stated that the army claimed a stampede occurred as they were trying to distribute aid. They blamed the crowded group for injuring other Palestinians and causing trucks to strike civilians.
Considering the number of civilians who were killed in the event, the accusations are incorrect.
The genocidal nature of the event is compounded by the fact that the civilians were unarmed and fled as the army opened fire on them.
Alarming rate of killings
Gaza's Health Ministry confirmed earlier today that this alarming escalation brings the total toll of the Israeli aggression to a staggering 30,228 martyrs and 71,377 injuries since October 7 of last year.
In 24 hours only, the Israeli occupation committed 16 massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, killing 193 martyrs and injuring 920.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz observed that the aftermath of the massacre might influence the ongoing negotiations for an agreement, suggesting it could heighten tensions in various arenas, from Washington to Riyadh. This reinforces the notion that "Netanyahu is not accurately interpreting the situation," as per Haaretz.
While the Israeli military claimed that "the majority of the casualties and injuries occurred due to overcrowding" and "only a few injuries were a result of the soldiers' gunfire," Haaretz expressed doubts about the credibility of the Israeli military's pretexts.
The newspaper also highlighted that the distressing scenes from the massacre are consistent with the figures reported by the Palestinian Ministry of Health regarding the number of Palestinian victims in the Gaza Strip. It underscored that internationally, "Israel" is perceived as the primary side responsible for this massacre.
Another mainstream media lie
Even mainstream media adopted the original Israeli recount of events and called the unfolding tragic event everything but what it truly is; a deliberate massacre that goes hand in hand with the ongoing genocide in the Strip.
At least 100 #Palestinians were killed in a massacre committed by Israeli occupation forces in al-Rashid Street, to the west of #Gaza City as the starved civilians were waiting in line to receive much-needed aid from convoys.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 1, 2024
Multiple first-hand accounts confirmed that the… pic.twitter.com/QPReskB6Ho
While the IOF opened fire on these Palestinian civilians standing in queue to receive food, Western and Israeli media went out of their way to misinform the public about the incident. In a wildly inappropriate move, the brutal killing was often referred to as a "stampede", "chaotic incident", and "riot".
