Doctors in the Gaza Strip are donating their own blood in an effort to save their patients, after dozens of Palestinians were shot while trying to collect food aid, according to a statement released on Thursday by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
This development comes after Israel permitted the private organization Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to begin distributing food in the territory last week. Prior to that, all supply routes into Gaza had been completely sealed off since the beginning of March.
According to Gaza authorities, at least 102 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 500 more injured during attempts to access aid from food distribution centers within the first eight days of operations. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces opened fire on the crowds seeking assistance.
The Israeli military, however, blamed Hamas militants for initiating the gunfire, though it did admit that its own troops had fired at individuals it identified as “suspects” who approached their positions on Tuesday, the day at least 27 people were killed.
