Israeli forces and drones opened fire towards many people waiting for trucks in the central Gaza region in the early hours of Tuesday. The most recent attacks in Gaza killed at least 44 people, according to Palestinian witnesses and hospitals, which includes 25 in central Gaza and 21 in southern Gaza. Health authorities state that the number of Palestinians killed in the war has risen above 56,000.

After its opening last month, the new food distribution sites run by an American contractor with the support of the US and Israeli governments have become sites of violence and chaos. Palestinians say that Israeli troops often fire towards desperate crowds trying to collect food from aid trucks.

However, the army said that it only fires warning shots to control the crowd.

On Tuesday, Palestinian witnesses told the Associated Press that Israeli forces opened fire as people moved east towards a truck delivering food at a distribution site. Tanks and drones reportedly fired at people even as they were fleeing, with many being killed and wounded as many as 200 people.

Similar Attacks

In one such similar attack that occurred this month, a total of 31 people were killed and over 170 wounded while heading to receive food aid in the Gaza Strip. According to health officials and witnesses, Israeli forces opened fire on the crowds approximately one kilometre from a site run by an Israeli-backed foundation. The foundation, supported by both Israel and the United States, has denied previous reports of chaos and gunfire around its distribution points. All of these sites are located within an Israeli military zone, where independent media has no access.

The incident was one of the deadliest surrounding the new aid distribution system, which has been in operation for less than a week. While the Israeli military stated that its forces did not fire at civilians near or within the site, an anonymous Israeli military official told international media that troops fired warning shots at several suspects approaching them about a kilometre from the distribution point.