On Sunday, four witnesses told NBC News journalists in Gaza that the Israel Defense Forces opened fire on a group of Palestinians receiving food from a collection point in Rafah, in the south of the enclave. At least 31 Palestinians were killed and more than 200 were wounded in the event, according to Gaza hospitals director Mohammed Zaqout.
Witnesses who spoke to NBC News described a chaotic scene.
Ahmad Abu Labdeh, 28, said an Israeli tank had fired into the crowd.
“They told us to come and collect aid, and when we gathered, they opened fire on us,” he said. “It was hell.”
The reports were vigorously denied by the IDF and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S. and Israel-backed organization that was distributing the aid.
In a statement issued Monday, the GHF said “there were no injuries, fatalities or incidents” during their operations on Sunday.
“We have yet to see any concrete evidence that there was an attack at or near our facility yesterday and that evidence-based reporting should be at least the minimum requirement for news outlets,” the GHF said.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee blasted the media for their reporting on the incident, saying the outlets are contributing to “the antisemitic climate” in the country.
