Live Blog Update| Israel's genocide in Gaza
This is an entry from: Israel-Palestine live: US vice president calls for ‘immediate’ six-week ceasefire

Evening update

29 February 2024 23:54 GMT

Hello, readers of Middle East Eye.

Early on Thursday, Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for food aid in northern Gaza, killing at least 104 people and injuring hundreds of others.

Videos on social media showed Palestinians running away from Israeli fire, and pictures of the aftermath showed graphic devastation on al-Rashid Street, where Palestinians believed aid trucks carrying flour had been en route.

The Biden administration said the incident was "tremendously alarming" and called for an investigation into what transpired.

Qatar condemned the incident, while France called the shootings unjustified. Canada said what happened to the Palestinians was "a nightmare".

Meanwhile, Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, praised the Israeli soldiers who shot at the Palestinians, whom he described as a "mob", and said the incident shows that Israel shouldn't be giving any aid to Gaza.

Here is what else you need to know from today:

  • A group of leaders from more than 30 news outlets, including the Washington Post and The New York Times, have signed an open letter stating their solidarity with journalists in Gaza.

  • Congresswomen Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib sent a letter to US President Joe Biden calling on him to "decisively oppose" an Israeli military invasion of Rafah.

  • A group of 30 activists led a demonstration in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, using non-violent means to block the entry of Aydin Displays, a subsidiary of the Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Seven were arrested.

  • A new report from the BBC says it can't confirm the claim by Israel's military that it killed 10,000 Hamas fighters in its war on Gaza.

  • At a congressional hearing on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said more than 25,000 Palestinian women and children had been killed by Israel since 7 October. A spokesperson later walked back the comments.

  • Colombia's President Gustavo Petro announced that the country would be suspending weapons purchases from Israel, citing Thursday's killing of more than 100 Palestinians in northern Gaza.