African Union chief's statements ruffle feathers among member states

The Chairperson of the African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat (from Chad), has made alarming allegations against Israel, accusing them of a "massive massacre of Palestinians" and demanding an international investigation following a tragic humanitarian aid distribution that resulted in over a hundred deaths due to Israeli gunfire and a stampede.

In a statement released by the AU on Saturday on X, Moussa Faki Mahamat unequivocally condemned the actions of Israeli forces, attributing the deaths and injuries of over 100 Palestinians seeking vital humanitarian assistance to their attack. The statement urged for an international inquiry into the incident to hold the perpetrators accountable and called for an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire."

Since October 7th, Moussa Faki Mahamat has consistently sided with Israel's enemies, raising questions about his impartiality. Some have raised concerns about the Chadian leader's close ties with certain Arab regimes, including Algeria.

Despite lacking any evidence, Moussa Faki Mahamat's allegations against Israel have begun to provoke irritation among some member countries of the AU who maintain a balanced stance on the conflict between the Hamas and Israel.

The Israeli military stated that a "stampede" occurred when thousands of Gazans surrounded a convoy of 38 humanitarian trucks, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries, including some who were crushed. An Israeli military official confirmed "limited gunfire" from soldiers who felt "threatened" and described "a stampede during which dozens of residents were killed and injured, some crushed by aid trucks."

There were no deliberate shootings by the Israeli military at the crowd. However, Moussa Faki Mahamat seems unwilling to acknowledge this fact.