IDF: Inquiry shows soldiers did not fire on aid convoy, only at small group threatening soldiers

After a large number of Gazans were killed while mobbing a humanitarian aid convoy in northern Gaza, the IDF published the findings of its inquiry into the incident today (Friday), stating that the soldiers did not fire at the humanitarian convoy itself, only a number of individuals who endangered the nearby soldiers.

According to the inquiry, while the trucks were moving to the distribution points, a violent mob of about 12,000 Gazans surrounded them and looted their contents. During the looting, cases of people being seriously injured and killed from the crowd crush and the trucks themselves were observed.

The inquiry also stated that during the mobbing, a few dozen Gazans approached the IDF forces and got close enough, a distance of a few meters, to endanger them outright. At this stage, the forces fired warning shots at some of the suspects. When they continued to advance, they fired to eliminate the threat.

The IDF noted that the event will continue to be investigated by the General Staff inquiry mechanism – an independent examination body charged with looking into irregular events taking place during combat, which will independently examine the findings and inquiry and form its own view of the incident.

President Biden announced a plan to land aid to Gazan civilians at a temporary port in the Gaza Strip managed by the US military at the State of the Union address tonight (Thursday), according to Axios reporter Barak Ravid. This effort has been driven by incidents such as the convoy incident and increasing concern by aid groups regarding the humanitarian situation in the Strip.