Israel’s army: Did not attack convoy – the night update without photos More than a billion obese people – these are the fattest countries in the world

While the exact circumstances of the deadly disaster when an aid convoy arrived in the Gaza Strip remain unclear, Israel is facing massive accusations. On Friday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his outrage on the X platform (formerly Twitter) at the images “that reach us from Gaza, where civilians were targeted by Israeli soldiers.” Palestinian UN Ambassador Riad Mansour accused Israel of deliberately killing Palestinians. Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari dismissed the allegations: “There was no attack by the Israeli army on the aid convoy.” The UN Security Council in New York was initially unable to agree on a joint statement during a meeting.

VS: Will push for answers

The US government is in contact with the Israeli government about the incident and is demanding answers. The United States said an investigation is underway, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said on Thursday (local time). “We will be closely monitoring this investigation and pressing for answers.” There is no reliable information about what happened, Miller said. The “tragedy” could complicate negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by the Islamist Hamas.

Speaking about the incident, UN Secretary General António Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said they do not know all the facts and are aware that there are different stories. “There will come a time of responsibility,” Dujarric said.

Palestinian UN Ambassador: Israeli army carried out targeted killings

More than a hundred people were killed and several hundred injured in the incident, according to the Gaza Strip health authority, which is controlled by the Islamist Hamas. According to Palestinian UN Ambassador Mansur, thousands of people had gathered in northern Gaza when aid arrived. “And then suddenly the Israeli army started shooting at them, and according to the information we have, dozens of them have bullets in their heads. It’s not like shooting into the air to stop people when there was confusion and chaos. It was deliberately targeted and killed,” Mansur said in New York on Thursday. His claims could not initially be independently verified, nor could the contradictory statements from the Israeli side.

Israel’s army: Did not shoot at those who sought help

The Israeli army presented the process very differently: In the morning, the army coordinated a truck convoy with humanitarian aid to reach residents in the north of the closed coastal strip, army spokesman Hagari said. When they arrived, scores of people rushed onto the trucks, creating a chaotic crowd. “Some started violently pushing and trampling others to death and looting humanitarian goods,” the army spokesman said.

Another Israeli army spokesman, Peter Lerner, told CNN that initial findings indicate a group of people approached Israeli soldiers a short time later. The army then fired warning shots into the air. However, the group continued to approach the soldiers and posed a threat, after which the soldiers opened fire. According to reports in the Israeli media, they targeted the legs. A handful of people were injured in the incident, Lerner said. The incident is under investigation. Hagari also emphasized:

French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The shooting of civilians cannot be justified

“The Israeli army’s shooting of civilians while they are trying to obtain food is unjustifiable,” said a statement from the French Foreign Ministry published on Thursday evening. France expects the serious incident to be fully clarified. The government in Egypt had previously accused Israel of opening fire on the waiting crowds. Saudi Arabia and Jordan also criticized Israel over the incident.

The US State Department spokesperson emphasized that what happened shows why a quick agreement on a ceasefire and the release of the hostages held by the Islamist Hamas is necessary. The U.S. would “work very hard to reach an agreement,” Miller said.

Netanyahu: Continue War to Victory

According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government is also making tireless efforts to free the hostages. However, it is still too early to know whether an agreement will be reached on the release of the kidnapped and a ceasefire in the Gaza war, Netanyahu said on Thursday evening. One of his main demands is to obtain a list of the names of all hostages who would be released as part of a deal. He has not received this yet. A breakthrough in negotiations and an agreement in the coming days are therefore initially uncertain, he said. The army will continue the war against Hamas until victory.

What will be important on Friday?

As the investigation into the Gaza aid convoy disaster continues, fighting continues relentlessly in the coastal area. In the indirect ceasefire negotiations, the positions of the warring parties remain widely divergent. There is no end in sight to the horrors and suffering of hundreds of thousands of civilians. (saw/sda/dpa)