Eyewitnesses say crowds came under fire en route to distribution center that was about to open; military reports troops when suspects approached them and ignored warnings

It is almost 20 months since Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led cross-border attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 54,677 people have been killed in Gaza during the war, according to the territory's health ministry.

Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces had fired on them at a roundabout in the nearby city of Rafah as they went to get food from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The Israeli military said it fired warning shots at people it said were suspects who had advanced toward its forces and ignored warnings to turn away.