The targeting of unarmed Palestinians collecting aid in Gaza by Israel has drawn widespread condemnation from Palestinian leaders and neighboring countries. The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s office labeled it an “ugly massacre” conducted by the Israeli occupation army, resulting in over 100 casualties. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported at least 104 people killed and 750 wounded, urging urgent international intervention for a ceasefire to protect civilians.

Hamas, characterised the attack as a “heinous massacre” in a series committed by the “criminal Zionist entity” against the Palestinian people. They asserted it was unprecedented in the history of war crimes and part of Israel’s “war of starvation” in Gaza. Hamas called on the UN Security Council and Arab states to obligate Israel to cease mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and violations of international law. The group held Israel and the US administration under President Joe Biden responsible for the escalating situation.

The international response included the White House expressing concern over the reports, calling it a “serious incident,” while President Biden acknowledged challenges in ceasefire negotiations due to conflicting narratives. The UN’s aid chief, Martin Griffiths, expressed horror at the reported killing and injury of hundreds in Gaza, emphasising the alarming speed at which life is draining out of the region. Countries like Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia condemned the attack, with calls for the international community to ensure secure humanitarian corridors into Gaza.

Belgium’s deputy prime minister, Petra De Sutter, denounced the incident as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, emphasising her horror at the reported massacre. Mustafa Barghouti, the secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, condemned the attack as another “horrible crime” by Israel, highlighting the dire situation of civilians deprived of food supplies for months.