At least 19 Palestinians were killed in Gaza when a stampede broke out at a food distribution site. Holly Williams has more.

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Israel and Iran have agreed a ceasefire after a twelve day conflict. Meanwhile, Israel strikes in Gaza continue with the humanitarian crisis deepening.

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At least 19 Palestinians died in a stampede at a food distribution site in southern Gaza. The incident occurred at a centre operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is supported by Israel and the US and employs American security contractors. The GHF stated that the deaths were caused by trampling and one stabbing, and alleged that some in the crowd were armed and affiliated with Hamas, deliberately causing unrest. Hamas rejected this explanation, claiming that GHF guards and Israeli soldiers used pepper spray and opened fire on the crowd. The exact circumstances remain unverified. The death toll in the ongoing conflict, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, now exceeds 58,000.

Palestinians killed in stampede at Gaza food distribution site

We begin tonight with another deadly incident in the Gaza Strip. At least 19 Palestinians were killed, but not by Israeli strikes, instead in a stampede at a food distribution site. CBS's Holly Williams has the story. They came looking for food in a land wracked by hunger. But instead, in southern Gaza today, desperate people were crushed and suffocated at an aid distribution centre. They're children, shouted this man. They didn't do anything. The distribution centre is one of four hubs run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, which is backed by both Israel and the US, and employs American security contractors. The groups mired in controversy, with the United Nations agency that supports Palestinian refugees calling it an abomination that causes nothing but starvation and gunfire. The GHF said 19 people were trampled to death today, and one was stabbed, and claimed it had reason to believe that some in the crowd were armed and affiliated with Hamas, and deliberately caused unrest. Hamas rejected that explanation, and asserted that GHF guards and Israeli soldiers sprayed people with pepper gas and opened fire. This aid is a trap, said this man. This is not aid. They fire at us and spray us with pepper spray to burn our eyes. We are unable to independently verify exactly what happened at the aid distribution point. The GHF denies that any shots were fired into the crowd, but it is a fact that yet more people died in Gaza today. The Hamas-run health ministry says the death toll in this war is now over 58,000.

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Palestinians killed in stampede at Gaza food distribution site

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