Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza has reported the deaths of 24 individuals near a site designated for aid distribution.
Palestinian witnesses at the scene allege that Israeli troops opened fire on civilians attempting to access food supplies on Saturday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has stated that there were “no known injured individuals” as a result of IDF fire in the vicinity of the aid distribution point.
Separately, an Israeli military official indicated that warning shots were discharged to disperse individuals perceived by the IDF as a potential threat.
These claims from both sides have not been independently verified. Israel currently restricts access to Gaza for international news organizations, including the BBC.
Footage reviewed by the BBC on Saturday depicted what appeared to be multiple body bags in the courtyard of Nasser Hospital, surrounded by medical personnel and individuals with blood-stained clothing.
In a separate video, a man claimed that individuals waiting for aid were subjected to targeted fire for a duration of five minutes. A paramedic accused Israeli troops of perpetrating cold-blooded killings.
The BBC has not independently verified these videos.
Reuters news agency reported speaking with witnesses who described individuals being shot in the head and torso. The agency also stated that they observed bodies wrapped in white shrouds at Nasser Hospital.
There have been consistent reports of fatalities resulting from Israeli fire targeting individuals seeking food in Gaza.
In March, Israel imposed a comprehensive blockade on aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip. Subsequently, it resumed its military offensive against Hamas, effectively collapsing a two-month ceasefire. Israel stated its intention was to exert pressure on the Palestinian armed group to release Israeli hostages.
Although the blockade was partially eased in late May following warnings of an impending famine from global experts, severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel persist.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reports that thousands of children are suffering from malnutrition across the territory, with new cases being identified daily.
In addition to allowing entry to some UN aid trucks, Israel and the US established a new aid distribution system managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), citing their desire to prevent Hamas from diverting aid.
On Friday, the UN human rights office reported that it had recorded 798 aid-related killings to date, including 615 in the vicinity of GHF sites. These sites are operated by US private security contractors and are located within military zones in southern and central Gaza.
The remaining 183 killings were recorded near UN and other aid convoys.
The Israeli military has acknowledged that there have been incidents in which civilians have been harmed and stated it is working to minimize “possible friction between the population and the [Israeli] forces as much as possible.”
The GHF has accused the UN of utilizing “false and misleading” statistics sourced from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Earlier this month, a former security contractor for the GHF told the BBC he witnessed colleagues opening fire on multiple occasions on hungry Palestinians who posed no threat. The GHF has stated that these allegations are categorically false.
Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’ cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 57,823 people have been killed in Gaza since that time.
Senior Palestinian officials accuse Israel of deliberately stalling the negotiations in Qatar during the prime minister’s US visit.
Two of Iman al-Nouri’s five sons were killed outside a clinic in Deir al-Balah on Thursday, while a third was seriously wounded.
Nasser hospital in Khan Younis has a critical shortage of fuel and had to stop admitting patients after Israeli tanks advanced nearby on Thursday.
People Against Rafael wants the council to enquire about what is made at an Israeli-owned factory.
Eight children were among 15 people reportedly killed while queuing outside a clinic in the central town of Deir al-Balah.