Israeli gunfire killed at least 17 Palestinians and wounded dozens as thousands of displaced people approached an aid distribution site run by a US-backed humanitarian group GHF in central Gaza Tuesday. "Day after day, casualties & scores of injured are reported at distribution points manned by Israel & private security companies," Philippe Lazzarini, the chief of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), wrote on X.
"This humiliating system continues to force thousands of hungry & desperate people to walk for tens of miles excluding the most vulnerable & those living too far," he said.
While the GHF has said there have been no incidents at its distribution sites, Palestinians seeking aid have described disorder, and access routes to the sites have been beset by chaos and deadly violence.
Lazzarini said food aid should be overseen by the United Nations.
Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be disbanded, accusing it of having ties with Hamas. UNRWA has denied this.
Separately, local health authorities said an Israeli strike on a house in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza Strip killed eight people, taking Tuesday's death toll to at least 25.
Mourners react during the funeral of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire, according to the Gaza health ministry, near an aid distribution center in central Gaza, at Al-Shifa hospital, in Gaza City, on Tuesday. REUTERS
