National security minister hails Israeli soldiers' killing of over 100 civilians waiting for aid in Gaza

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir voiced support Thursday for Israeli soldiers after a shooting left more than 100 Palestinians dead as they were waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza City.

"We must give complete support to our heroic fighters operating in Gaza, who acted excellently against a Gazan mob that tried to harm them,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement.

He reiterated his demand to halt the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, claiming it poses threats to soldiers.

"Today it was proven that the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza is not only madness while our hostages are held in the Strip … but also endangers IDF (Israeli army) soldiers," said Ben-Gvir.

He also called the incident "another clear reason why we must stop transferring this aid."

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 104 Palestinians dead and 760 injured, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 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 is 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.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar