Doha: At least 23 Palestinians were martyred and more than 200 others wounded on Tuesday after Israeli forces opened fire and shelled thousands of displaced people waiting for humanitarian aid west of Rafah city in southern Gaza.

According to Qatar News Agency, eyewitnesses and local reporters stated that Israeli artillery and warplanes targeted crowds gathered near the aid distribution center in the vicinity of Al-Alam roundabout, west of Rafah. The victims were among those awaiting desperately needed humanitarian assistance.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) confirmed that dozens of Palestinians have been martyred at aid distribution points. The organization warned that these recent incidents underscore the inhumanity and ineffectiveness of the new aid delivery system, which it described as extremely dangerous.

With blood banks nearing depletion, medical teams on the ground were forced to donate blood themselves to help treat the wounded. The organization stressed that weaponizing humanitarian aid in this manner may amount to a crime against humanity.

In recent weeks, the Gaza Strip has witnessed a serious escalation by the Israeli occupation forces, marked by the deliberate and systematic targeting of Palestinian civilians as they attempted to access humanitarian aid. This has resulted in dozens of martyrs and injuries, and has sparked a growing wave of international condemnation and concern.