Emergency crews told Reuters the dead and injured were rushed to Nasser Hospital after the strike hit people who had gathered near a distribution point for humanitarian relief.
“Victims were lining both sides of Salah al-Din Street when the shells landed,” a rescue worker said by telephone.
The Gaza health ministry, run by the Islamist movement Hamas, said the casualties were “civilians awaiting desperately needed aid.” It released images of blood-stained casualties arriving at the hospital.
Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the reported deaths. In earlier statements, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have denied deliberately firing on civilians, saying troops shoot only when they perceive threats or to issue warning shots.
Tuesday’s incident occurred close to a center operated by the US- and Israeli-backed Gulf-based charity GHF, which since May has overseen a system of large aid hubs meant to curb looting and ensure supplies do not fall into Hamas hands.
United Nations officials have criticized the scheme as politicized and “controlled by Israel,” arguing it bypasses established relief channels run by UNRWA, the U.N. agency long responsible for aid distribution in Gaza.
At least three other deadly episodes have been recorded around the GHF hubs in recent weeks. Palestinian officials say more than 300 people in total have been killed in or near aid queues since Israel began its offensive in October 2023, after Hamas’s cross-border attacks.
Israel accuses UNRWA of collusion with Hamas, a charge the agency denies. GHF says its centers offer “orderly, secure delivery” of food, but aid groups warn that reliance on a few large sites forces hungry residents to travel long distances through frontline areas.
(jh)
Source: PAP, Reuters