Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians and wounded a third on Gaza's beach, as confirmed by the military in response to a video that surfaced recently. The video, broadcast by Al Jazeera, showed one man falling to the ground after walking in an open area, followed by a bulldozer pushing two bodies into the sand. The military stated that troops opened fire after the men allegedly ignored warning shots.
The origin and date of the footage remain unknown, with Al Jazeera reporting that at least two of the men were waving white flags before being shot at. This incident adds to a series of similar clips showing Palestinians in Gaza being fired at or killed despite posing little threat to Israeli forces nearby.
In response to the beach shootings, the Israeli army clarified that the video was edited and depicted two separate incidents across different locations in central Gaza. The army also mentioned that the two men who were killed had carried bags, although no bags were visible in the footage. The wounded man was later released after questioning.
The Qatari network reported that all the men in the video were attempting to return to their homes in northern Gaza, from where they were displaced earlier in the conflict. The north of the territory has witnessed significant destruction, with aid struggling to reach those who remain there.
Palestinians and human rights groups have criticized the Israeli military for using disproportionate or indiscriminate force in its Gaza offensive, resulting in heavy civilian casualties. They argue that military investigations rarely lead to indictments of the soldiers involved, even when such killings are captured on video.
Israel has attributed civilian casualties to Hamas, stating that militants operate from within civilian areas. The army did not specify whether the beach shootings would be subject to investigation.
According to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run enclave, Israeli fire has claimed the lives of over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza since the war erupted on Oct. 7. The conflict began when Hamas-led militants invaded southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people, mostly Israelis, and the kidnapping of around 250 others.
For more updates on the Israel-Hamas war, visit AP's war coverage.
