Recently released video footage from a downed Israeli drone in Gaza, made public by Al Jazeera, has brought to light a disturbing incident involving the killing of four unarmed Palestinian civilians in a targeted Israeli air attack. The incident reportedly took place in the Al-Sikka area of Khan Younis in early February, although the exact date was not specified.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have acknowledged the incident and stated that it has been forwarded for examination by the General Staff’s Fact Finding and Assessment Mechanism.
The video shows four men walking along a dirt road surrounded by rubble and destroyed buildings. The men appeared to be unarmed and were not carrying any visible weapons. According to Al Jazeera, they were searching for their homes to assess the damage caused by Israeli bombardment in the area.
Suddenly, the men were struck by what seemed to be an airstrike, resulting in the immediate deaths of two individuals. The other two men attempted to move after the initial attack, with one walking slowly and the other crawling, only to be hit by subsequent direct missile strikes.
Al Jazeera chose to blur the remains of the men in the video, citing the extreme violence depicted. The footage did not show any other drones or military equipment in the vicinity.
It is important to note that the authenticity of the video and the accuracy of Al Jazeera's account have not been independently verified. The IDF, in response to the video, mentioned that their forces have encountered instances where terrorists disguised themselves as civilians in the area.
