Israeli troops opened fire on Gazans seeking food aid in the territory, killing at least 32 people, the Palestinian health ministry and witnesses said.

At least 36 people were killed by Israeli fire while they were on their way to an aid distribution site in Gaza at dawn on Saturday, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

The latest deaths add to U.N. figures showing that more than 670 Palestinians have been killed since May near sites built under a new Israel-backed aid system.