EU Commission chief urges transparent probe into killing of civilians seeking food aid in Gaza by Israeli forces

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - The EU Commission chief on Friday urged a transparent probe into Thursday's killing of civilians seeking food aid in Gaza by Israeli forces.

“Deeply disturbed by images from Gaza. Every effort must be made to investigate what happened and ensure transparency,” Ursula von der Leyen said on X.

Access to humanitarian aid must be ensured, she stressed, adding: “We stand by civilians, urging their protection in line with international law.”

Early Thursday, Israeli forces shelled a crowd of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid south of Gaza City at the al-Nabulsi Roundabout area, leaving at least 112 dead and 760 injured, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.

The Israeli military said an initial investigation found that Palestinians approached a military checkpoint overseeing the entry of the aid trucks when soldiers fired warning shots and shot at the legs of Palestinians who continued to move toward the troops.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 30,035 Palestinians have since been killed and 70,457 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.