The Israel Defense Forces stated on Sunday that there were “no known casualties from IDF fire within the distribution compound,” responding to reports that dozens of Palestinians were killed near a Gaza aid hub.
“The matter is still under investigation,” the IDF statement added.
CNN cited the Gaza Health Ministry, run by the Hamas terrorist group, as claiming on Sunday that “at least 31 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured amid chaotic scenes at an aid distribution site” in Gaza’s south.
However, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the U.S.-backed group that runs the site, told the news outlet: “There was no gunfire in the [distribution] center and also not in the surrounding area.”
The GHF also released security camera footage from the time of the alleged shooting showing that no shots were fired in the wider area.
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett in a video published on Sunday called on world media to correct what he said was “a huge lie.”
“This morning, all world media reported a huge lie. They said that Israeli tanks opened fire on food distribution centers, on Gazans, and killed 26 Gazans,” said the former premier. “This did not happen. It’s simply a lie.”
“We looked into it. At no distribution center or near any distribution center, no one opened fire,” he said, urging followers to “refute this.”
GHF has distributed 4,721,062 meals to Gazans in the six days since it started its operations in the Palestinian coastal enclave, the American company announced on Sunday.
GHF maintained that food packages were distributed without security issues during the week, despite media reports suggesting otherwise.
“The continued misinformation, mischaracterization and unfortunately completely false reports by some major media outlets [are] very disheartening to our aid workers and their vital efforts to feed the hungry people of Gaza,” said interim executive director John Acree.
The group, which is not connected to the United Nations and which aims to deliver aid supplies to Palestinians while preventing their appropriation by Hamas terrorists, began operations on May 27.
The aid facilities are secured by U.S. military contractors and remotely monitored by the Israel Defense Forces. International humanitarian NGOs reportedly manage the delivery of food and other supplies.