Israeli Force Attacks on Aid Seekers Part of Decades-Long Pattern of Violence: HRW

Shakir emphasized that the recent attacks by Israeli forces on individuals seeking humanitarian assistance in Gaza are not isolated incidents but rather emblematic of a broader pattern of grave violations against Palestinians over many years.

According to Shakir, the Israeli regime bears significant responsibility for the dire situation in Gaza. He stated, "Let’s start with the clear responsibility here of the Israeli government. They are starving the Palestinians of Gaza."

He further condemned the use of civilian starvation as a tactic of warfare, labeling it as a war crime.

Shakir elaborated, "They are creating catastrophic conditions that are leading to these sorts of situations."

He pointed out that beyond the current crisis, Israeli authorities have a history of employing excessive and unlawful force against Palestinians, not only during airstrikes but also in routine policing operations.

Highlighting the plight of Palestinians, who have endured bombings, displacement, and starvation, Shakir emphasized the tragic irony of them now being shot and killed while seeking basic food supplies. He remarked, "The idea that people are being killed as they scavenge for meager rations of food is just appalling."

At least 112 people were killed and more than 750 others wounded on Thursday as the Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians who had surrounded a convoy of 38 aid trucks in Gaza, with the Palestinian health ministry calling the incident a "massacre.”

The latest Israeli crime comes as NGOs and UN experts have on several occasions voiced fears of famine in the besieged territory, which has been completely cut off from aid by the occupation since October last year.

Israel waged its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance group carried out an operation against the regime in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.