Israel blames Palestinians for Gaza aid convoy deaths

Most of the Palestinians killed when troops opened fire at a crowd massed near an aid convoy in Gaza died as a result of a stampede – not from gunshots, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has claimed.

“The IDF has concluded an initial review of the unfortunate incident where Gazan civilians were trampled to death and injured as they charged to the aid convoy,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Sunday in a statement. “Our initial review has confirmed that no strike was carried out by the IDF toward the aid convoy.”

The statement came amid international outcry over the deaths of more than 100 people and the wounding of 750 others as hungry civilians waited to receive food aid in the besieged Palestinian enclave on Thursday. The Gaza health authorities accused Israeli troops of an “unprovoked attack” on civilians, and UN investigators reported a “large number of gunshot wounds.”