Hamas authorities say 27 killed near Gaza aid distribution centre

Reports from Gaza say that Israeli soldiers have again killed Palestinians near a distribution centre for humanitarian aid.

At least 27 Palestinians were killed near the southern city of Rafah and 90 more were injured on Tuesday, according to the Gaza health authority, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas.

Israel's military said in the morning that soldiers had identified suspects about half a kilometre from the distribution point who had approached them and posed a threat.

They had deviated from the designated routes to the aid centre while largers crowds of people were using the normal routes.

"After the suspects failed to retreat, additional shots were directed near a few individual suspects who advanced toward the troops," the army statement said.

The army said it did not prevent civilians from reaching the aid distribution centres and was investigating the reports.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing eyewitnesses, reported attacks on the crowd with artillery fire and fighter planes.

None of the information can currently be independently verified, as foreign journalists are not being allowed into Gaza.

Hamas authorities say dozens of people have been killed near new aid distribution centres operated by the Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in Gaza which opened last week. Israel has denied many of the reports.

UN Secretary General António Guterres on Monday called for an independent investigation into the deaths, provoking condemnation from Israel.

In a statement published following the reports on Tuesday, the GHF said aid distribution at the Rafah site was "conducted safely and without incident."

"We understand that IDF is investigating whether a number of civilians were injured after moving beyond the designated safe corridor and into a closed military zone," it added.

"This was an area well beyond our secure distribution site and operations area."

A video circulating on social media and published by Palestinian outlets is said to show the bodies of several young men as well as wounded persons being treated in a clinic following the alleged attacks.

It was not possible to independently verify the authenticity of the footage.

Israeli soldiers killed in northern Gaza

In the north of the Gaza Strip, the army said that three Israeli soldiers had been killed during operations there.

The men, aged between 20 and 22, reportedly died on Monday when their jeep drove over an explosive device in Jabalia. According to the newspaper Haaretz, two other soldiers were injured.