Netanyahu Denies Intentional Shooting of Civilians at Aid Centers

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has categorically denied a report by the Haaretz newspaper claiming that Israeli soldiers were ordered to shoot unarmed civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

The Haaretz report stated that IDF soldiers were ordered to deliberately shoot unarmed Gazan residents waiting for humanitarian aid. Netanyahu described the allegations as "heinous" and "malicious lies" aimed at tarnishing the image of the IDF.

In a joint statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu rejected the accusation of "ritual murder" as an anti-Semitic libel. The Israeli military, responding to questions, admitted that in some cases it opened fire when it felt there was a threat.

An army spokesman said that the armed forces did not order soldiers to shoot civilians, including those approaching distribution centers. Haaretz reported that the military advocate general had assigned a military service to investigate possible war crimes in cases of deaths of Palestinian civilians near aid centers.