Ireland appalled by 'horrible' killing of Palestinians waiting for aid by Israel

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Ireland on Friday said it is appalled by the "horrible" killing of more than 100 Palestinians and injuring of over 700 others waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza by Israel.

"Appalled by the horrible deaths of Palestinians queueing for aid in Gaza city," Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said on X.

"International humanitarian law is unambiguous - Israel as occupying power must protect civilians and ensure basic services," he urged, and stressed: "The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is man-made and completely unacceptable."

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, killing at least 30,228 Palestinians and injuring 71,377 others 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.