Following the Israeli army's targeting of civilians in Gaza on the evening of Thursday, March 14, while they were waiting for humanitarian aid coming from the southern Gaza Strip near the Kuwait Roundabout southeast of Gaza City, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of victims, Israel absolved itself from the incident and placed responsibility on Palestinian militants in the area.
The Israeli Defense Force's account on the X platform shared a video alleging to show "Palestinian gunmen firing while Gazan civilians were awaiting the arrival of a humanitarian aid convoy near the Kuwait Roundabout." The Israeli forces stated that it is investigating the killing of Palestinian civilians and claims to possess footage showing "Palestinian gunmen" shooting at these civilians.
Subsequently, the Israeli military spokesperson to the Arab world, Avichay Adraee, also shared the same footage and commented on it, stating, "Exclusive footage: Palestinian gunmen firing near Gaza civilians an hour before a humanitarian aid convoy enters the southern area of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood."
He claimed that the Israeli army did not open fire on the aid convoy in the Kuwait Roundabout area.
Evidence and Testimonies Refute the Israeli Narrative
Misbar reviewed the aerial footage published by the Israeli army and concluded that it does not depict gunmen as alleged by the Israeli forces. Instead, the footage shows a single individual who appears to be armed but did not fire at any of the passersby, and no injuries were reported among the civilians around him. Misbar also noted the absence of panic or people fleeing in the footage, suggesting that the person shown in the video did not engage in firing at anyone, contradicting the Israeli narrative.
Furthermore, media outlets and journalists have documented testimonies from survivors of the massacre, confirming that the Israeli army deliberately targeted innocent civilians while they were waiting for aid in the Kuwait Roundabout area.
Journalist Ismail Alghoul from Gaza shared on his Instagram account a testimony from a survivor of the massacre, indicating that the occupation deliberately targeted civilians with shells. According to the testimony, the army continued firing until it was certain that all the civilians gathered at the scene had been killed.
On March 15, one of the injured victims of the attack informed Al Araby TV channel that an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft closely monitored them. Despite being filmed and confirmed as unarmed, the Israeli army fired shells at the civilians.
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor Refutes the Israeli Narrative
According to preliminary investigations conducted by the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, along with field data and testimonies from civilians, the responsibility for the killing of dozens of Palestinian civilians last Thursday night near the Kuwait Roundabout on the outskirts of Gaza City is attributed to the Israeli occupation. This tragic incident took place as civilians gathered to receive humanitarian aid.
The Euro-Med Monitor stated that the video released by the Israeli army was filmed in a different location from where the massacre occurred. The armed individual in the video was seen firing near the Dawar Dawla roundabout southeast of Gaza City, approximately 2 kilometers away from the Kuwait Roundabout where the massacre took place.
The Euro-Med Monitor’s report also noted that the footage only depicts gunfire from one person, directed upward, seemingly to dissuade civilians from approaching the area where Israeli military vehicles were stationed. This is evident from the fact that despite the gunfire nearby, no injuries were reported in the vicinity, and there were no dead bodies or casualties around him.
Furthermore, upon examining multiple victims, it was determined that they were targeted with (5.56x45) mm NATO bullets, commonly used by the Israeli forces. Similar bullets were previously identified in the bodies of victims and injured individuals at the scene of the first massacre on February 29, which led to numerous deaths and injuries.
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor also provided testimonies from other survivors, including a statement from a citizen named Ziad Saeed Madoukh, one of the wounded in the massacre. Madoukh recounted that the Israeli army started firing heavy live ammunition as soon as the aid trucks reached the Kuwait Roundabout, targeting the crowds of civilians. He further stated that the Israeli army continued to shoot in their direction even after some aid had been distributed, suggesting that the shooting was a deliberate intent to kill.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Al-Najjar, another wounded individual, recounted his attempt to obtain a bag of flour for his children from the Kuwait Roundabout. However, he and others were subjected to intense live gunfire and artillery shells, despite being in an area that had previously been permitted for access.
Misbar also investigated a similar claim made by the Israeli army to absolve itself of the massacre committed in Gaza during the ongoing war. The Israeli army's chief spokesperson, Daniel Hagari, stated in late February that the Israeli army did not target Gazans when they sought aid.
At that time, Hagari claimed that thousands of Gazans had attacked the trucks, with some engaging in violent behavior such as pushing, trampling, and looting humanitarian supplies, as a way to distance the army from the massacre it committed.
Misbar's investigation at the time debunked the Israeli claim as misleading and provided evidence indicating that the massacre at the Al-Nabulsi roundabout was perpetrated by the Israeli army and was not the result of a stampede caused by Gazans attacking aid trucks.
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