Palestinians say Israeli forces opened fire on people trying to access a U.S.-backed group's aid distribution hub in Gaza, in the deadliest of such incidents reported to date.

CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) -Israeli fire killed at least 40 people, half of them near an aid distribution site operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Monday, the territory's health ministry said,

The UN human rights chief said Israel's "means and methods of warfare" were inflicting "horrifying, unconscionable suffering".