At least 38 Palestinians were killed Monday in shootings near food distribution centres in Gaza, the territory’s health ministry said. It was the deadliest such incident so far in a series of near-daily shootings around the aid sites.The food centres are operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Thousands of Palestinians often pass through Israeli military-controlled zones to reach these centres.Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire early Monday to control crowds at the Rafah centre, one of the busiest aid locations in the south. The Israeli military has not commented on Monday’s deaths but previously said its troops fired warning shots at what it calls suspects approaching military positions.Most of the victims were near the GHF centre in Rafah, with a few on roads leading to a newer hub outside Khan Younis, according to officials. Two people trying to get food at the Rafah site told The Associated Press that soldiers fired on the crowd at around 4 am at a nearby traffic circle known as the Flag Roundabout. The area has seen repeated shootings in recent weeks.The military has marked certain routes for people to use to access food, and GHF has warned that straying from them is dangerous. However, many Gazans take the risk in hopes of getting food before supplies run out.Israel and the US say the GHF system helps prevent Hamas from stealing aid, but UN agencies and major aid groups disagree. They say the system is unsafe, cannot meet Gaza’s humanitarian needs, and gives Israel too much control over who receives help.Since the centres opened last month, Palestinian officials say dozens have been killed and hundreds injured while trying to access aid. The ongoing war and restrictions on aid delivery have pushed Gaza closer to famine, putting the lives of nearly 2 million people at risk.
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