Hamas claimed the shooting lasted around three hours as thousands were funnelled towards the trucks delivering vital aid.

Graphic photos show bodies being ferried away from the scene of the shooting in wooden carts, which people expected to pick up supplies with, as well as crowds of people carrying bags of flour.

The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) say Israeli military has turned these humanitarian points into ‘killing grounds, deliberately targeting civilians in their most vulnerable state’.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said their investigation found their soldiers carried out warning shots in the air, shots that were not directed at the crowd, after they felt threatened. They claimed there were no casualties directly from IDF gunfire.

One IDF security official said: ‘From an initial investigation, it appears that during the gathering, sounds of