At least 24 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire while waiting near an aid distribution point in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, according to local health officials, in what appears to be another deadly incident amid a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The director of a hospital in Rafah confirmed the deaths on Tuesday, citing injuries consistent with heavy weaponry. The Hamas-run health ministry said the victims had gathered to receive humanitarian aid when Israeli forces opened fire.

The Hamas-run civil defence agency accused Israeli troops of firing from tanks and drones on a crowd of civilians awaiting access to aid near a distribution hub.

In a brief statement, the Israeli military said its troops had fired "towards several suspects" near the aid compound and added that it was "reviewing reports of civilian casualties."

Tuesday’s incident follows a similar one on Sunday, in which the Gaza health ministry said 31 people were killed and nearly 200 wounded when Israeli forces allegedly fired on another group of civilians waiting for aid in the same area. The Israeli military denied responsibility for that attack.

The incidents come amid an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, though humanitarian access remains heavily restricted. Aid agencies continue to warn of famine-like conditions in parts of Gaza, particularly in the south, where hundreds of thousands remain displaced and dependent on sporadic aid deliveries.

International pressure has been mounting on both sides to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access and to protect civilians, especially in Rafah, which has become a focal point of recent Israeli operations.

Source: BBC

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