Israel Admits Civilian Harm at Gaza Aid Sites as AP Links US Guards to Gunfire

Israel’s military faces mounting scrutiny after an investigative report by the newspaper Haaretz quoted Israel Defense Forces officers and soldiers saying they were explicitly ordered to fire on unarmed Palestinians crowding around food-distribution points in Gaza. The troops described the zones as a “killing field” where live rounds, grenade launchers and mortars were used even when no threat was present. Gaza health officials estimate that almost 600 civilians have been killed near the sites since mid-May. The IDF’s Military Advocate General has requested a war-crimes review, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz dismissed the allegations as “blood libels.”

Under growing pressure, an IDF spokesperson on 30 June acknowledged for the first time that Palestinian civilians had been “harmed” at the aid centres and said commanders have issued new rules of engagement based on “lessons learned.” The army continues to insist that it fires only warning shots, and that the incidents are under internal investigation.

Separately, an Associated Press investigation published 2 July cited two American security contractors who said colleagues guarding the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites routinely fired live ammunition, stun grenades and pepper spray at desperate crowds. Videos reviewed by AP recorded bursts of automatic gunfire and guards cheering after shots were fired. The contractors said the privately hired guards were frequently unvetted and poorly trained. The GHF and its subcontractor Safe Reach Solutions deny civilians were hit, contending that any gunfire came from nearby IDF positions, but the reports have intensified international calls for independent inquiries as Gaza’s food crisis deepens.