IDF opened fire on UN convoy: Military claims it was misunderstanding
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
Israeli military in the Gaza Strip opened fire on a UN humanitarian aid convoy. The IDF reported that soldiers fired warning shots because they were unaware that vehicles were supposed to pass by them, according to The Times of Israel.
Referring to the results of the investigation into the incident that occurred on Friday, the IDF press service asserts that after the UN humanitarian convoy finished delivering aid to storage facilities in the northern Gaza Strip, the military requested it to move south using a different route.
"This was to maintain its safety given the fighting that was taking place near the area," the IDF statement said.
The IDF stated that the soldiers in the area were unaware of the change in the route, and "as a result, when the vehicles arrived, the troops on the ground acted to stop [the convoy] in a procedure that included a warning shot that was not aimed at the vehicles."
"When the vehicles stopped, the shooting stopped," says the IDF, adding that there were no casualties but shrapnel from the warning shots hit one of the vehicles.
The IDF states that it has learned lessons from investigating this incident "to prevent the recurrence of similar cases."
War between Israel and Hamas
On October 7, Hamas militants invaded Israel, initiating attacks on both military and civilian personnel. Terrorists began killing and kidnapping individuals. Shortly after, Jerusalem declared Operation Iron Swords and shelled the locations of the terrorists in the Gaza Strip.
On November 24, a temporary ceasefire between Jerusalem and the militants began for the release of prisoners, with Qatar acting as a mediator. However, on December 1, Israel claimed the resumption of hostilities due to the violation of ceasefire terms by Hamas.
On December 20, Israel proposed Palestinians to once again establish a one-week ceasefire. Hamas rejected the proposal.
During this period, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined three conditions that must be met for the end of the war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
