Jordan, Egypt condemn Israeli killing of Palestinian civilians awaiting aid in Gaza City

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Jordan and Egypt on Thursday strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Palestinians awaiting humanitarian aid in Gaza City, leaving over 100 killed and more than 700 others injured.

In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry stressed the kingdom's "firm denouncement and outright rejection of the ongoing targeting of Gaza civilians" by the Israeli army who were waiting for humanitarian aid.

The statement described the attack as a "clear violation of international law and international humanitarian law" that "comes amid the absence of an international position to stop this war and massacre that Israel is committing against Palestinians."

Meanwhile, Egypt also condemned the attack against Palestinians, and described it as "inhumane Israeli targeting of unarmed Palestinian civilians."

"We consider targeting peaceful citizens rushing to pick up their share of aid a shameful crime and a flagrant violation of international law," a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

The statement also called on international parties to assume their "humanitarian, ethical and legal responsibility" toward ending the war on Gaza and providing protection to the Palestinian people.

On Thursday dawn, the Israeli forces shelled a crowd of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid south of Gaza City at the "al-Nabulsi Roundabout" area, leaving at least 104 Palestinians killed and 760 others injured, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, 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.