Israeli forces in Gaza kill 6 Palestinians seeking aid, health officials say

Local health officials said Israeli forces killed six Palestinians near an aid distribution center in southern Gaza on Saturday night, the fourth such incident in a week

Local health officials said Israeli forces killed six Palestinians near an aid distribution center in southern Gaza on Saturday night, the fourth such incident in a week.

The Palestinians were killed in west Rafah “as citizens gathered in the hope of receiving aid near the distribution point,” according to Marwan Al-Hams, director of field hospitals for the Palestinian Health Ministry.

None of the victims have been identified at this time. NBC News was not immediately able to verify the number of casualties. The World Health Organization has said it considers the Health Ministry’s data reliable.

Displaced Palestinians walk along a road to receive humanitarian aid packages in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on June 5. AFP - Getty ImagesIn a statement, the Israel Defense Forces acknowledged the incident, saying that troops fired “warning shots” on “several suspects” in the Tel al-Sultan refugee camp who they felt posed a threat.

“Despite prior warnings that the area is an active combat zone during nighttime hours, several suspects attempted to approach IDF troops operating in the Tel al-Sultan area overnight, in a manner that posed a threat to the troops,” the IDF said. “The troops called out to the suspects to drive them away, but as they continued advancing in a way that endangered the troops, the soldiers responded with warning shots.”