AT least 27 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured by Israeli gunfire near an aid distribution point.

People were fired upon close to the al-Alam roundabout in western Rafah early yesterday morning.

- BY ANDY LINES Chief Reporter

Victims' bodies and wounded Gazans, including children, were brought to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis as crying relatives mourned the dead.

It was the third consecutive day of similar incidents and close to the site where the Gaza health ministry said Israelis killed 31 people on Sunday.

Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for Gaza's Civil Defence agency, said civilians were shot at by tanks, quadcopter drones and helicopters about half a mile from the aid distribution site.

Nadeem Zarab, a local journalist, had walked to get food with his uncle.

He said: "Gunfire was coming from all directions. We started using the wall as cover. People, as they were running, began collapsing in front of us."