Gaza medics: 44 Palestinians killed by Israel trying to get aid

Dozens of Palestinians were killed near two humanitarian aid distribution centres in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, local medics said.

At least 44 people were said to have been killed in total, according to local medics

In one incident north of Rafah, in the south of the territory, 25 Palestinians were killed and dozens more injured when Israeli soldiers opened fire on people waiting for aid, the Gaza health authorities said.

No further details were immediately available, and the Israeli military did not comment on the claims.

In a separate incident in central Gaza, the Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said it had received 19 bodies and more than 100 wounded.

Medics said the victims were unarmed civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, and that witnesses had reported an Israeli airstrike on the crowd.

When contacted about this case, the Israeli military said that people had gathered near the soldiers and that it was aware of reports of injuries caused by Israeli shelling.

It said the details are currently being investigated.

The military did not provide any information about deaths, nor did it give a reason for attacking the crowd.

The Gaza war was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and more than 250 were taken as hostages to Gaza said the authourities.

Since then, Israel’s military has been fighting against Hamas, an extremist Palestinian group which is classified a terrorist organisation by the United States and the European Union.

The Gaza war has caused devastating destruction in the coastal strip on the Mediterranean Sea, with over 56,000 people killed so far, according to the Hamas-run health authority.