UN The Security Council expresses deep concern over the Gaza aid convoy incident
People are in mourning following the early-morning incident on February 29 when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd heading towards an aid site in Gaza. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images).
The United Nations Security Council expressed “deep concern” over Thursday's disaster in northern Gaza, which killed more than 100 Palestinians seeking aid.
As observed by UN-OCHA, more than 100 people died and many hundreds were injured. humanitarian aid convoy southwest of Gaza City,” the Security Council said in a statement on Saturday.
“Council members note that an Israeli investigation is underway,” he added.
On Thursday after the incident, Security Council members were unable to adopt a statement over the objection of the United States.
In a statement released this Saturday, Security Council members reiterated their request to the parties to the conflict to “permit, facilitate and enable the delivery of immediate, rapid, safe, sustained and unimpeded large-scale humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population throughout Gaza.”
“Council members urge Israel to keep border crossings open for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, to open additional crossings to meet humanitarian needs, and to support the rapid and safe delivery of essential goods to people throughout Gaza,” the statement said.
Massacre: According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 118 people were killed and 760 wounded when Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinian civilians gathered around food aid trucks on Thursday.
CNN cannot independently confirm these figures.
Israel's military has denied that account, saying it fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
On Friday, a spokesman for the UN Secretary-General cited a UN team visiting the hospital where the survivors had been taken as saying that many of the injured civilians had sustained gunshot wounds.
“From what they saw, the patients were alive and receiving treatment, there were multiple gunshot wounds,” said Stephane Dujarric.
Following the incident, the UN called for an independent and effective investigation.
