Eye witnesses to the event accuse the Israeli military of being behind the fatal shootings. Israeli forces, according to the witnesses, are said to have opened fire on crowds of desperate Palestinians early on Sunday morning who were on their way to two distribution points for humanitarian aid in Rafah in southern Gaza.
The distribution points are run by the Israel- and USA-backed group GHF, which Israel wants to take over the UN-managed system for the distribution of aid. The UN has rejected the new system and declared that it violates humanitarian principles.
Israel has not commented on the incident.
Israel's blockade and war in Gaza have led to widespread hunger and increased the risk of famine among the population, according to experts and aid workers.
