12 killed by Israeli fire near aid points, Palestinians say

Israeli fire killed at least 12 people and wounded others as they headed towards two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip run by an Israeli and US-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said on Sunday.

Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces.

There have been frequent shootings in the past two weeks near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians, desperate after 20 months of war, are being directed to collect food.

Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials.

In all, at least 108 bodies were taken to hospitals in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the territory’s health ministry said.

Israel’s military said it hit dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day.

Eleven of the latest bodies were taken to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis.

Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on some at a roundabout about half a mile from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, in nearby Rafah.

Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at approaching “suspects” who ignored warnings to turn away.

It said the shooting happened in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night.

Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza.

The military said it fired warning shots in the area at about 6.40am, but did not see any casualties.

A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday.

The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel’s military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes.

The new aid hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access.

The GHF also said it was piloting direct delivery to a community north of Rafah.

Witnesses said Sunday’s shooting in southern Gaza happened at about 6am, when they were told the site would open.

Many had headed towards it early to try and get desperately needed food before the crowds.

Adham Dahman, 30, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank had fired at them. “We didn’t know how to escape,” he said. “This is trap for us, not aid.”

Zahed Ben Hassan, another witness, said someone next to him was shot in the head. He said he and others pulled the body from the scene and managed to flee to the hospital.

“They said it was a safe area from 6am until 6pm,” he said. “So why did they start shooting at us? There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us.”