**Mass Casualty Incident in Gaza: Clashes Between Israel and Hamas**
A devastating mass casualty incident has unfolded in southern Gaza, where a field hospital reported receiving a “mass casualty inflow” of people with gunshot and shrapnel injuries. The Red Cross said 21 people were declared dead upon arrival, while 179 cases involved women and children.
The conflict began after disputed reports emerged about a near-miss incident in Rafah, where Hamas’ civil defense agency claimed at least 31 people had been killed and many others injured by Israeli gunfire targeting civilians. However, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied any wrongdoing, saying an initial investigation showed its forces did not fire at people near or inside an aid center.
**Clashing Accounts of the Incident**
The IDF released drone footage showing armed, masked men shooting and throwing stones at civilians collecting aid in Khan Younis. The BBC was unable to verify the footage immediately. Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the aid center, denied claims of injuries or casualties on its website, blaming Hamas for spreading rumors.
**Humanitarian Crisis Deepens**
The Red Cross reported that the field hospital’s 60-bed capacity had been far exceeded by the influx of patients. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) also responded to the incident, stating that it showed once again that the system of aid delivery was dehumanizing, unsafe, and severely ineffective.
Claire Manera, MSF’s emergency coordinator, said: “This incident highlights the dire humanitarian situation in Rafah, where recent Israeli military actions have severely restricted access to emergency services and aid.”
**Multiple Reports of Injuries and Deaths**
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported 14 injuries in a second incident near a different aid center in central Gaza. Doctors at Nasser Hospital treated 200 people injured by shrapnel or bullets.
Medical staff from the British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians said that 79 of the injured were taken to Nasser Hospital, Khan Younis. They added that the majority of victims were shot directly in the chest or head.
**Gaza’s Health Ministry Reports Over 200 Patients**
The Gaza Health Ministry reported more than 200 patients, including 31 deaths, had been admitted to hospitals. The incidents highlight the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Rafah, where access to emergency services and aid has been severely restricted by recent Israeli military actions.
Read More @ www.bbc.com
