United Nations calls for investigation into killings near Gaza aid distribution site after IDF denied responsibility

The Gaza health ministry said at least 27 Palestinians have been killed by an Israeli attack while waiting for aid, health officials reported.

The people were killed while waiting for aid in the Rafah region early on Tuesday.

Israeli forces said they opened fire around half a mile from the aid centre but denied killing civilians, claiming those at the centre "posed a threat to them".

The alleged attack took place at an aid centre run by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The UN secretary-general António Guterres is calling for an investigation into the killings - warning of a possible war crime.

Mr Guterres said in a statement on Monday: "I am appalled by the reports of Palestinians killed and injured while seeking aid in Gaza yesterday.

"I call for an immediate and independent investigation into these events and for perpetrators to be held accountable."

Israel's Foreign Ministry responded on X, calling the remarks a "disgrace".

The post continued: "Even if you look very hard, there’s one word you won’t find in the Secretary-General’s statement: Hamas.

"Not a word about the fact that Hamas is the one shooting civilians and trying to prevent them from collecting aid packages."

Following the incident, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said in a statement: "Earlier today, during the movement of the crowd along the designated routes toward the aid distribution site - approximately half a kilometre from the site - IDF troops identified several suspects moving toward them, deviating from the designated access routes.

"The troops carried out warning fire, and after the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced toward the troops."

Read more: 31 killed after Israel opens fire on Gaza aid centre - with 175 more wounded

It comes after at least 31 people were killed as they attempted to access aid in the Gaza Strip after coming under Israeli tank fire, local medics reported.

The Gazan citizens were gathering aid from an Israeli-backed foundation in Rafah, with officials saying that another 175 people were wounded.

Israel's Defence Forces said they were unaware of injuries caused by their own fire.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s distribution of aid has been marred by chaos in recent days, and multiple witnesses have said Israeli troops fired on crowds near the delivery sites.

Before Sunday, at least six people had been killed and more than 50 wounded according to local health officials.

The foundation says the private security contractors guarding its sites did not fire on the crowds, while the Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots.

In an earlier statement, it said it distributed 16 truckloads of aid early Sunday “without incident" and dismissed what it referred to as “false reporting about deaths, mass injuries and chaos.”

The UN system has struggled to bring in aid after Israel slightly eased its total blockade of the territory last month.

Those groups say Israeli restrictions, the breakdown of law and order, and widespread looting make it extremely difficult to deliver aid to Gaza’s roughly two million Palestinians.

Experts have warned that the territory is at risk of full-blown famine if more aid is not brought in.