At least 67 Palestinians were shot dead and more than 150 were wounded on Sunday when Israeli forces opened fire on crowds waiting for food aid near the Zikim crossing in northern Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and Civil Defense. Some local officials later put the death toll as high as 73, making it one of the deadliest incidents involving aid seekers since the war began in October 2023. Witnesses and medics said thousands of displaced residents had gathered around United Nations food trucks when Israeli tanks and snipers fired. Six additional fatalities were reported near a separate aid centre in Khan Younis in the south, highlighting the growing desperation as severe shortages push much of the enclave toward famine. The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged that troops fired what it called “warning shots to remove an immediate threat” after identifying a large crowd, and said the circumstances are under investigation. The military also issued fresh evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza as ground operations continued. Sunday’s killings follow a series of similar episodes that Gaza authorities say have left hundreds dead in recent weeks and come as UN agencies warn that hunger is accelerating across the territory. The World Food Programme said a 25-truck convoy entering the north on Sunday also came under fire, underscoring the precarious conditions facing relief efforts.