In a newly released audio recording, a Gaza resident accuses Hamas terrorists of firing mortars near a humanitarian aid hub in Rafah, aiming to disrupt food distribution and seize control of supplies.
The recording, released by the Israel Defense Forces and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, captures a conversation between an Israeli military liaison officer and a Gazan man discussing the widely reported incident on Sunday in which more than 30 people were allegedly killed by Israeli fire.
Conversation between a COGAT officer and a Gazan resident
(IDF Spokesperson's Unit )
“I swear to you—it’s a lie, nothing happened,” the man says, disputing the death toll. “There were wounded, yes—maybe seven or eight dead.” He later adds, “The army responded after they were fired on with mortars, but the ones who fired were Hamas members.”
The resident goes on to say that Hamas operatives deliberately sought to sabotage the aid operation, accusing them of living off stolen aid and enriching their leadership. “They want to derail the program so the aid goes to them, so they can steal it,” he says. “They live off this—selling, trading, money, food and drink for themselves and Hamas leaders.”
He also says that Hamas terrorists were present in the area during the alleged attack and that the group is pressuring international agencies to route aid through their hands. “They want the aid to come in through the UN and international bodies so they can steal it,” he adds.
Describing the group as “real criminals” and “like ISIS,” the resident denounces Hamas as inhuman and devoid of compassion for its own people. “They’re not human at all,” he says. “They’ve completely gone bankrupt. The people understood, they saw, they were there.”
The release of the recording challenges earlier reports, based on Hamas sources, that blamed Israel for civilian casualties at the site. The IDF has denied firing on civilians and says the incident is under investigation.
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The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-Israeli initiative that has delivered nearly six million meals in its first week, also rejected the claims. The foundation published surveillance footage from the site showing no evidence of gunfire or panic.
An additional eyewitness account echoed the resident’s version of events and said no Israeli fire took place during the aid distribution.
Israeli officials say Hamas is actively obstructing humanitarian aid to preserve its influence and exploit the suffering of Gaza's civilian population.