A full, independent investigation into the killings of Palestinians attempting to collect food for their family, and accountability for their deaths, is essential. But no investigation is needed to establish that Israel is ultimately responsible, by starving people and then implementing a food-collection scheme that cannot solve the humanitarian crisis, and which is known to be dangerous. The US, which promoted that scheme, is complicit.
Health officials in Gaza say that at least 27 people were killed by Israeli fire as they awaited food on Tuesday – the third such incident in three days. (The Israeli military said troops fired at people “moving towards [them] … in a way that posed a threat”.) Officials previously said that Israeli forces killed more than 30 Palestinians on Sunday, and another three the following day; the military said they did not shoot civilians, but fired “warning shots”. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – the American private organisation running the scheme – suspended operations on Wednesday for “update, organisation and efficiency improvement work”.
