Naftali Bennett rejects Hamas claims of civilian casualties in Gaza

On Saturday, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett openly criticized claims made by Hamas, which were echoed by major news outlets such as CNN and the BBC, asserting that Israel had opened fire on civilians close to a new U.S.-run aid distribution center in Gaza. Hamas reported that Israeli gunfire resulted in the deaths of 22 individuals, later adjusting the number to 31 fatalities claimed. However, both the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) disputed these assertions. They indicated that they had no knowledge of any casualties from IDF fire within the humanitarian aid site, prompting them to launch an investigation into the incident. The GHF firmly rejected the claims made by Hamas, calling them false and fabricated. In their statement, the GHF confirmed that aid was distributed at the center without any reported incidents and expressed gratitude to media outlets that sought to verify the reports before publication. Bennett, a former special operations soldier, emphasized the ongoing efforts to discredit U.S. aid initiatives by Hamas, who allegedly misuses United Nations resources to maintain control over the Palestinian populace. Recent reports have indicated that Palestinians receiving U.S. aid were surprised to learn that it was being provided for free, as they had been forced to pay for UN aid that was intended to be complimentary. Bennett pointed out that U.S. assistance not only aids Israel's military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas but also places additional pressure on the organization to release Israeli hostages that are still in captivity. The situation continues to unfold, with international scrutiny on both the claims of casualties and the humanitarian efforts in Gaza amidst the ongoing conflict.