The death toll includes 38 Palestinians who were seeking aid at distribution sites operated by the controversial United States- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The fatalities are the latest in a series of killings reported near GHF-operated sites, despite Israel’s announcement last week that it would begin implementing “tactical pauses” in some areas to allow greater access to humanitarian aid.

Israel announced the start of these daily pauses in military operations on July 27. However, 105 Palestinians were killed while seeking food on Wednesday and Thursday alone, the United Nations Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territory reported on Friday.

As of Friday, at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access aid, according to the Human Rights Office. An additional 169 Palestinians, including 93 children, have died from starvation or malnutrition since the start of Israel’s war in October 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Palestinians in the enclave have reported numerous incidents of Israeli soldiers and American security contractors hired by the GHF deliberately firing on aid seekers near distribution sites.

Facing growing international condemnation over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Israel has in recent days allowed aid to be airdropped into the enclave by countries including Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Spain, Germany, and France.

However, humanitarian organizations, including the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), have warned that airdrops are insufficient and have called on Israel to facilitate the free flow of assistance by land. (Al Jazeera)