Flour massacre

Coordinates: 31°30′9.95″N 34°24′52.34″E / 31.5027639°N 34.4145389°E / 31.5027639; 34.4145389
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Flour massacre
Part of Israel–Gaza war (2024)
Aerial image showing the location of Israeli troops and humanitarian aid trucks
LocationNetzarim Corridor, Palestine
Coordinates31°30′9.95″N 34°24′52.34″E / 31.5027639°N 34.4145389°E / 31.5027639; 34.4145389
Date29 February 2024
~4:30 a.m. (UTC+02:00)
Attack type
Massacre, mass shooting
Deaths118+[1][2]
Injured
760+
PerpetratorIsrael Israel Defence Forces[3]

The Flour massacre[4][5] happened in Gaza Strip on February 29, 2024. At least 118 people were killed, and around 760 people were injured when Israeli forces shot at civilians who were trying to get food from aid trucks near the Al-Nabulsi Roundabout on Al-Rashid Street in Gaza City.[6]

Journalists, diplomats, and human rights groups call it a massacre, but the Israeli military disagrees with the term. Three Hospitals said they have treated over 100, 142, and "dozens" of people with gunshot wounds.[7] The United Nations confirmed that many victims of gunshot wounds were present at Al-Shifa Hospital [en].[8]

Survivors described the event as an "ambush", saying Israeli forces started shooting people as soon as they came near the aid trucks, causing a complete confusion and rush away from the gunfire that led to more casualties.[9] One of the victim who saw the incident said, "We went to get flour. The Israeli army shot at us. There are many martyrs on the ground and until this moment we are withdrawing them. There is no first aid."[10]

The event became known as the "flour massacre", as named by the Palestinians.[4]

Background[change | change source]

The Gaza Health Ministry has reported that northern Gaza is in famine.[11] Medical officials have reported that a "significant number" of children in Gaza have died due to malnutrition[12] and Palestinians in Gaza City have been eating grass and animal feed to survive.[13][14]

Dr. Mohammed Salha, Director at Al-Awda Hospital [en] told reporters that 142 of the 176 wounded people that were brought to the hospital had gunshot wounds, and that the remaining 34 were injured from a stampede.[15]

Reactions[change | change source]

Cartoon by Carlos Latuff criticizing the 'Flour Massacre'
  •  Algeria: Algeria proposed a motion to the United Nations Security Council to release a statement condemning the massacre but it was blocked by the United States.[16]
  •  Colombia: Colombian president Gustavo Petro announced the country would stop buying Israeli weapons after the incident.[17]
  •  European Union: Josep Borrell, the EU's chief diplomat, said Israel's preventing of food from Palestinians was a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and described the incident as "totally unacceptable carnage".[18]
  •  Hamas: In a statement, Hamas called the Flour massacre a "heinous massacre added to the long series of massacres committed by the criminal Zionist entity against our Palestinian people".[19]
  •  India: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that,"We are deeply shocked at the loss of lives in Northern Gaza yesterday during the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Such loss of civilian lives and the larger humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to be a cause for extreme concern".[20]
  •  Israel: Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir praised the Israeli military saying "Total support must be given to our heroic fighters operating in Gaza, who acted excellently against a Gazan mob (a large crowd of people) that tried to harm them". He also stated that this incident was "another clear reason why we must stop transferring this aid because it is actually an aid to harm IDF soldiers and oxygen to Hamas".[21]
  •  Jordan: The Foreign Ministry of Jordan said,"We condemn the Israeli occupation forces’ brutal targeting of the gathering of Palestinians who were waiting for aid on the Nabulsi roundabout near Al-Rashid Street in Gaza".[22]
  •  Palestine: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (who has some control in the West Bank), called the incident an "ugly massacre" that was perpetrated by the "Israeli occupation army."[22]
  •  Qatar: Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it condemned “in the strongest terms the heinous massacre committed by the Israeli occupation” and called for “urgent international action” to stop the fighting in Gaza.[23]
  •  Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the deaths and again said that it's “the need to reach an immediate ceasefire”.[23]
  •  United Arab Emirates: The United Arab Emirates said it strongly condemned the attacks on thousands of Gazan people.[24]
  •  United Nations: The United Nations said it strongly condemned the "violence unleashed by Israeli forces which killed at least 112 people" in the Gaza Strip.[25]
  •  United States: The United States Department of State expressed condolences for the people who were killed or injured, and spokesperson Matthew Miller said they were in touch with the Israeli government and pressing them for answers.[26] The President of US, Joe Biden told reporters that his administration was checking two competing versions of the incident, and added that the event would complicate ceasefire talks.[27]

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "Death toll from aid-seekers attack rises to 118". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  2. ↑ "UN sees 'large number of gunshot wounds' after Israel's 'flour massacre'". Al Jazeera. 2 March 2024. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024. an incident that has been dubbed the Flour Massacre.
  3. ↑ "Anesthetics, crutches, dates. Inside Israel's ghost list of items arbitrarily denied entry into Gaza". CNN. 1 March 2024. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1
  5. ↑ "UN experts condemn 'flour massacre', urge Israel to end campaign of starvation in Gaza". OHCHR. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  6. ↑ "Israeli forces fired at Palestinians waiting for aid in northern Gaza, say eyewitnesses". CNN. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  7. ↑ Yazbek, Hiba; Boxerman, Aaron (29 February 2024). "Middle East Crisis: As Hungry Gazans Crowd a Convoy, a Crush of Bodies, Israeli Gunshots and a Deadly Toll". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "UN team visits Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza-Xinhua". Xinhua News Agency. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "Flour massacre: How Gaza food killings unfolded, and Israel's story changed". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "'Cold-blooded massacre': Israeli forces kill over 104 aid seekers in Gaza". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  11. ↑ "Gaza's worsening famine could 'kill thousands' in days, official warns". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  12. ↑ "Gaza children searching for food to keep families alive". BBC News. 26 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "Gaza residents surviving off animal feed and rice as food dwindles". BBC News. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  14. ↑ "'We are dying slowly.' Children go to bed hungry and parents scavenge for food as famine looms in Gaza". CNN. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  15. ↑ Press, Associated (1 March 2024). "Gaza doctor says Israeli gunfire accounted for 80% of wounds at his hospital from aid convoy bloodshed". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "US blocks Algeria condemnation of Gaza aid massacre at UN". The New Arab. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  17. ↑ "Colombia pauses buying Israeli weapons and president calls war in Gaza 'genocide'". AP News. 29 February 2024.
  18. ↑ "EU foreign policy chief 'horrified' by Israeli attack on crowd waiting for aid in Gaza". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "'Heinous': Deadly Israeli attack on Gaza aid seekers condemned". Al Jazeera. 29 February 2024.
  20. ↑ "'Deeply Shocked': India on Palestinians Killed During Delivery of Humanitarian Aid". The Wire. 1 March 2024.
  21. ↑ "Ben-Gvir calls "Israeli" soldiers "heroic" after Al-Rasheed Street massacre". en.royanews.tv. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Biden says Israeli firing on Gazans that left dozens dead will 'complicate' ceasefire talks". WION. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Global condemnation grows over Israel's killing of Gaza aid seekers". Al Jazeera. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  24. ↑ Naar, Ismaeel (1 March 2024). "UAE strongly condemns Israeli attack on Palestinians gathering for Gaza aid". The National.
  25. ↑ "UN experts condemn 'flour massacre', urge Israel to end campaign of starvation in Gaza". OHCHR. 5 March 2024. Archived from the original on 14 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  26. ↑ Presse, AFP-Agence France (29 February 2024). "US Says 'Pressing For Answers' On Deadly Gaza Aid Incident". Barrons.
  27. ↑ "Middle East crisis: Biden says killing of more than 100 Palestinians near aid trucks will complicate ceasefire talks – as it happened". The Guardian. 29 February 2024. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
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