Shooting in front of relief truck leaves at least 112 dead
There is more public outrage over this explanation of “10 people killed by shooting”… The ceasefire negotiations that were close to being concluded are also a ‘red light’.
Security Council condemnation statement fails due to U.S. opposition… Biden is cornered by public criticism of this support
“Firing guns at civilians is an act that cannot be justified.” (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
A major negative event occurred in the war between Israel and Hamas, which broke out in October last year and had recently opened up the possibility of a temporary ceasefire. The international community is seething after a tragedy occurred on the 29th of last month (local time) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, when Israeli troops opened fire on residents waiting for relief supplies, killing at least 112 people.
Not only the Palestinian government but also Western countries immediately joined in the condemnation, and the United Nations condemned it and convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council. The United States, which has been mediating cease-fire negotiations during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, is also in an atmosphere of confusion, saying, “The red light has turned on.” Some analysts say that this could hinder the progress of U.S. President Joe Biden, who desperately needs support from racial minorities ahead of the November presidential election.
Citing the testimony of eyewitnesses at the scene, the Associated Press and others reported, “On this day, when a truck loaded with relief goods arrived on the beach in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, thousands of residents flocked, but the Israeli military took the chaotic situation as a threat and opened fire.” According to the Gaza Strip’s Health Ministry, at least 112 people were killed and more than 700 injured in the shooting. Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas immediately expressed his indignation, saying, “We condemn the ugly massacre committed by the Israeli occupation forces.”
Criticism against Israel is also pouring in from the international community. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “We are working to determine the facts, but it is shocking that innocent residents have died.” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X (old Twitter), “It’s terrible. “We condemn it at the strongest level,” he posted, and Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Alvarez also condemned it, saying, “An unacceptable incident has occurred.”
Video filmed and released by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) using a drone shows residents crowding around the truck at the time of the shooting. Gaza City = AP NewsisHowever, the Israeli side is causing even greater public outrage by stating, “Only about 10 residents were killed by gunfire, and the number of casualties due to stampedes and traffic accidents increased due to the influx of residents.” The Israeli military said at the beginning of the incident that “there were no circumstances surrounding the shooting,” but later changed its statement when various evidence was presented, saying, “It was inevitable that they rushed at the soldiers and the tank and opened fire.”
Due to this disaster, ceasefire negotiations in the war between Israel and Hamas have also fallen into limbo. Israeli daily Haaretz and others reported, “Regardless of who is responsible, this is bad news for ceasefire and hostage exchange negotiations.” The negotiation plan, which includes details such as a ceasefire for about 40 days before and after Ramadan, was so close to being reached that President Biden announced on the 26th of last month that he was “close to reaching an agreement.” However, after the disaster, President Biden said, “I think it will be difficult to achieve by the 4th as expected.”
Hamas’ position is that negotiations have already reached a conclusion. A Hamas spokesman said, “Israel will be solely responsible for the failure of negotiations.” The Israeli newspaper Times of Israel said, “There is a huge difference of opinion between Israel and Hamas, whose details are being discussed in Qatar.”
The United Nations convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council, but the statement of condemnation was not adopted due to opposition from the United States. The Associated Press reported, “At the meeting, a statement condemning Israel submitted by Algeria was discussed, but the United States was the only member of the 15 members to oppose it and was unable to issue a statement.” Immediately after the meeting, U.S. Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Robert Wood stated the reason for the refusal, saying, “It is because we do not yet know the whole truth.” After the disaster, President Biden also said, “There are conflicting stories coming out, but we don’t have an answer yet.”
This disaster may also affect President Biden’s approval rating. Recently, public opinion criticizing the Biden administration’s support for Israel has been growing in the United States, especially among progressives, young people, and Arab Americans. Local media reported, “The movement to vote ‘Uncommitted’ in the Democratic primary as a protest against this situation may spread further.”
In fact, according to The Hill, an American political media outlet, in the Democratic primary in Michigan, 13.3% of voters who opposed support for Israel voted to support no candidate. A difficult situation may arise for President Biden ahead of ‘Super Tuesday’ (the 5th).
Even in the U.S. Congress, voices criticizing Israel are growing stronger. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna told Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at a congressional hearing that day, “Countries that ignore America’s call to reduce the number of civilian deaths must bear the consequences.” Democratic Representative Greg Landsman also said, “Diplomatic leaders must continue to pressure all parties to end this war.”
Washington =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.