In a deadly turn of events, a reported Israeli drone strike in a bustling market in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, has left at least 18 Palestinians dead, according to a doctor and eyewitnesses. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, has sparked condemnation from the Hamas-run Ministry of Interior, who accused Israel of committing a "new crime against a police unit tasked with maintaining public order."
The incident unfolded when Israeli drones targeted a Hamas police force, disguised in civilian clothing and masks, as they confronted vendors accused of price gouging and selling goods looted from aid trucks. Clashes ensued, with the unit commander reportedly shouting, "Either sell at a fair price or we will confiscate the goods." Some vendors retaliated with handguns and a Kalashnikov, leading to the fatal drone strike, according to local residents.
Video footage from the aftermath shows bodies strewn on the ground, panicked shoppers screaming, and ambulances rushing to attend to the injured. A doctor at Deir al-Balah's Al-Aqsa Hospital confirmed receiving 18 bodies, though it's unclear how many were police officers.
This incident comes amidst ongoing struggles for Gaza civilians to access food, with daily shootings at and around US and Israel-backed distribution sites in south and central Gaza, and inflated prices in markets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of "once again taking control of humanitarian aid" and stealing it from civilians in northern Gaza.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir shared video footage of a truck convoy carrying aid into northern Gaza, claiming that Hamas was "taking control of the food and goods." However, Hamas has denied stealing or profiting from the aid, and a non-Hamas affiliated committee dismissed Israel's claims.
Thousands of aid parcels were distributed at a warehouse in Gaza City on Thursday, with Hamas political officials present but maintaining a supervisory role. A woman waiting for food there expressed gratitude, saying, "I pray to God that this blessing remains with us."
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the delivery of its first medical shipment into Gaza since 2 March, including medical supplies, blood, and plasma. However, WHO's chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that the amount was "only a drop in the ocean."
Before Thursday's market strike, at least 14 Palestinians had been killed and dozens injured in Israeli military attacks across Gaza since midnight, according to a spokesperson for the Hamas-run Civil Defence. Moreover, five people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a school sheltering displaced families in western Gaza City, and five members of the Abu Arab family were killed in an air strike that hit a tent sheltering displaced persons in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis.
The Israeli military has launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. The ongoing conflict continues to claim lives and raise concerns about humanitarian aid access and safety in the region.
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