The Flour Massacre (Arabic: مجزرة الطحين, romanized: majzarat aṭ-ṭaḥīn) occurred in the Gaza Strip on 29 February 2024, when at least 118 Palestinians were killed and 760 injured after Israeli forces opened fire while the Palestinians were seeking food from aid trucks on the coastal al-Rashid Street in Gaza City.
The name Flour Massacre arises from the fact that many victims were found soaked in both flour and blood, symbolizing the humanitarian crisis and the deadly consequences of seeking basic sustenance in a conflict zone. The incident was the deadliest mass casualty event to have taken place in the Gaza Strip since the start of Israel's invasion, and took place a day after the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that more than half a million Palestinians were at risk of famine in Gaza.
An aid convoy entered the northern Gaza Strip on the morning of the incident, with the trucks provided by Palestinian businessmen, and security and organization by Israel. Israel says that its forces felt endangered from the crowds of Palestinians, firing warning shots in the air and then opened fire killing less than ten people, and that the rest were killed in an ensuing stampede. Survivors described the massacre as an ambush, stating that Israeli forces deliberately opened fire as Palestinians approached the aid trucks, resulting in a rush away from the gunfire that added to the death toll.
A CNN investigation reported that Israel's claims that the incident had begun after 4:30 a.m. loc
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Flour Massacre alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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