At least 18 people were killed on Thursday in the Strip after an Israeli strike hit the street where they were collecting flour distributed by a Gaza police unit, according to hospitals.
The strike in the central town of Deir al-Balah appeared to target members of Sahm, a security force reportedly tasked with stopping looters and cracking down on merchants who sell stolen aid at inflated prices.
The death toll from the strike included seven Sahm members, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where the casualties were taken. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
The unit is part of the Hamas-led Interior Ministry, but includes members of other factions. Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid and using it to prop up its rule in the enclave, which the militant group denies.
Efforts by the United Nations and other aid groups to distribute food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks and by crowds of people offloading supplies from convoys.
Meanwhile, a group of Gaza's influential residents announced on Wednesday that they have initiated an independent effort to protect aid convoys from looting.
The National Gathering of Palestinian Tribes, Clans, and Families stated that it assisted in escorting a rare shipment of flour that entered northern Gaza that evening.
It was unclear, however, if the association had coordinated with the UN or Israeli authorities.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz again accused Hamas of stealing aid that is entering northern Gaza and called on the Israeli military to plan to prevent the theft.
The National Gathering refuted the statement, saying the accusation was aimed at justifying the Israeli military's “aggressive practices” and that aid was “fully secured” by the tribes, which it claimed were committed to delivering the supplies to the population.
