The Civil Defense in Gaza announced that 13 people were killed by Israeli fire on Saturday, including six people killed near a food distribution center in the southern Gaza Strip, which is threatened by famine.
Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal told AFP, "Six martyrs and a number of wounded were transported after the occupation forces opened fire on them near Al-Alam roundabout... as they were waiting to head to the American company's aid center west of Rafah" in the southern part of the besieged Strip.
He said the incident occurred around 7:00 a.m. (04:00 GMT).
An eyewitness told AFP that hundreds of people had gathered at the site early Saturday.
Sameer Abu Hadid, 42, a displaced person currently residing in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, said, "Hundreds of citizens gathered around 6:00 a.m. near Al-Alam roundabout, and then the number increased to several thousand."
He added, "As some tried to advance toward the aid center, the occupation forces fired into the air from armored vehicles stationed near the center, and then opened fire randomly at the civilians."
In response to a question from AFP, the Israeli army said it was verifying the facts.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing aid in the Gaza Strip on May 27, after Israel partially lifted the blockade it had imposed since early March. However, these operations were accompanied by widespread chaos, with reports of dozens killed by Israeli fire near several distribution centers.
The foundation closed its centers on Wednesday for "renovation, reorganization, and efficiency improvement," while the Israeli army confirmed that the roads leading to these centers were "combat zones." The foundation announced the resumption of distribution on Thursday.
The United Nations, which says the entire population of Gaza is threatened by famine, and non-governmental organizations have refused to cooperate with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation due to concerns about its work and neutrality.
In addition, Basal reported that seven people were killed and others, including children, were injured in an Israeli airstrike at 4:00 a.m. (01:45 GMT) on a house near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip.
In response to a question from AFP, the Israeli army said it was verifying the facts.
The Gaza war erupted following an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel, which killed 1,218 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
The total death toll from Israeli military operations has reached 54,677, the majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
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