Israeli troops have killed at least 70 Palestinians and wounded hundreds as they sought aid in Gaza on Tuesday, firing at them with tank shells, machine guns and drones.
Those casualties are among the 89 Palestinians killed in attacks across the besieged enclave since dawn.
Israeli soldiers fired at the desperate crowds of aid seekers on Tuesday morning as they gathered along the main eastern road in the southern city of Khan Younis.
It was the latest in a sustained wave of carnage since the Israel- and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) launched operations to distribute food in the territory three weeks ago.
The death toll is expected to rise as many of the injured are in a critical condition, according to medics at Nasser Hospital, where the casualties are being treated.
Gaza Civil Defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal added that more than 200 people were injured, although reports concerning the number of casualties varied.
“Israeli drones fired at the citizens. Some minutes later, Israeli tanks fired several shells at the citizens, which led to a large number of martyrs and wounded,” the spokesman said, noting that the crowd had assembled in the hope of receiving flour.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said Israeli tanks, heavy machine guns, and drone strikes were “raining down” on crowds, according to eyewitnesses.
The death toll of more than 70 people made Tuesday the deadliest day around the GHF sites so far. Previously, that grim record was set on Monday, when 38 people were killed, mostly in the Rafah area south of Khan Younis.
Reports indicated more than 300 people have been killed and more than 2,000 wounded while trying to collect aid from the GHF since it launched operations in Gaza on May 26.
The United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has called for accountability after the latest GHF site killings.
His deputy spokesman, in comments made at the UN headquarters in New York, said: “The Secretary-General condemns the loss of lives and injuries of civilians in Gaza, where once again being shot at while seeking food.
“It is unacceptable,” added Farhan Haq. “As of yesterday, 338 people have been killed and more than 2,800 injured while trying to access food, food near distribution sites.”
