Hamas reports more than 20 killed in gunfire at aid site in Gaza

At least 22 people have been killed and more than 115 injured in Israeli gunfire at a controversial relief operation in the southern Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas.

Israeli troops fired shots during Sunday’s relief operation organized by the newly established Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) at a distribution centre in Rafah, according to Hamas.

The information could not be independently verified. There was no immediate statement from the Israeli military regarding an attack there.

After a blockade of aid deliveries lasting several months, Israel has been allowing a small amount of goods into the sealed-off coastal strip for a few days.

According to the Israeli government, the GHF is to be responsible for distributing aid supplies to the population of Gaza in order to bypass aid organizations from the United Nations and other initiatives.

The UN has criticized the initiative, fearing it will lure the population to the few distribution centres and accelerate their expulsion from other residential areas.

There have been reports of looting and a storming of the new distribution centres in recent days. The GHF has repeatedly denied reports of deaths, large numbers of injuries and chaotic scenes at the centres.