Pope Leo XIV has condemned the “barbarity” of the war in Gaza and the “indiscriminate use of force” as Gaza’s health ministry said at least 73 Palestinians had been killed queueing for food.

The ministry said on Sunday that the victims had been killed in different locations, mostly in northern Gaza.

It said 67 of the dead had been killed by Israeli fire while waiting for UN aid trucks entering through the northern Zikim crossing with Israel.

View image in fullscreen Pope Leo XIV after delivering the Angelus prayer in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, on Sunday. Photograph: Vatican Pool/Getty Images

The UN World Food Programme said that shortly after entering Gaza, a WFP convoy of 25 trucks carrying food aid encountered “massive crowds of hungry civilians” who then came under gunfire.

“WFP reiterates that any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable,” it said in a statement.

The director of al-Shifa hospital, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, told Associated Press that since Sunday morning the hospital had received 48 people who were killed and 150 wounded while seeking aid from lorries expected to enter Gaza at the Zikim crossing. He could not say whether the dead had been killed by the Israeli army, armed gangs or both.

Israel’s military said soldiers had shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who it claimed posed a threat, and it was aware of some casualties. But it said the numbers reported by officials in Gaza were far higher than its initial investigation found. It did not immediately comment on the incident in the south.

There was new alarm as Israel’s military issued evacuation orders for areas of central Gaza, one of the few areas where it has rarely operated with ground troops and where many international organisations attempting to distribute aid are located. In central Deir al-Balah, residents said Israeli planes struck three houses in the area and dozens of families began leaving their homes, carrying some of their belongings, Reuters reported.

View image in fullscreen Palestinians are transported to hospitals after the incident in the Zikim area. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Before these reports emerged, the pope called for “an immediate end to the barbarity of the war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict” at the end of the Angelus prayer at Castel Gandolfo, his summer residence near Rome.

The pope also spoke of his anguish over the Israeli strike on Gaza’s only Catholic church last week, which killed three people and injured 10. Among the injured was the parish priest, who used to receive daily calls from the late Pope Francis.

Israel has expressed “deep sorrow” and opened an investigation into the strike on the church, which was sheltering about 600 displaced people, most of them children and many with special needs.

“This act, unfortunately, adds to the ongoing military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza,” the pope said on Sunday.

“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations.”

View image in fullscreen A Palestinian casualty of Israeli fire, who was seeking aid supplies, according to medics, is carried in the northern Gaza Strip. Photograph: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters

On Sunday the UN’s agency for Palestinians, Unrwa, said Israeli authorities were “starving civilians in Gaza”, including 1 million children. “Unrwa has enough food for the entire population of Gaza for over three months stockpiled in warehouses,” it said in an earlier social media post that included photos of a warehouse in Arish, Egypt. “Open the gates, lift the siege, allow Unrwa to do its work and help people in need among them 1 million children,” the agency said.

Unrwa said last week that babies were dying from “severe acute malnutrition”.

Israel banned all cooperation with Unrwa in Gaza and the West Bank, accusing the agency of having been infiltrated by Hamas, although an independent review found Tel Aviv had failed to provide evidence of its claims that Unrwa employees were members of terrorist organisations. The agency had been the main distributor of aid in Gaza and provider of basic services, including health and education, to Palestinians across the region.

View image in fullscreen Palestinians fleeing Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Photograph: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

Since May aid has been largely distributed by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in place of the traditional UN-led system. Food has become scarce, and very expensive, since Israel imposed a blockade on 2 March.

The UN has said that as of 13 July, 875 people had been killed in recent weeks trying to get food, including 674 in the vicinity of GHF sites. The remaining 201 victims were killed on the routes or close to aid convoys run by the UN or its partners. Children have been killed fetching water for their families.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued evacuation orders on Sunday in areas of central Gaza packed with displaced Palestinians, a sign of an imminent attack on neighbourhoods in Deir al-Balah, which has alarmed the families of Israeli hostages, who fear their relatives are being held there. “Can anyone [promise] to us that this decision will not come at the cost of losing our loved ones?” the families said in a statement.

The Israeli military dropped leaflets from the sky ordering people in several districts in south-west Deir al-Balah, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza have been sheltering, to leave their homes and head south.

View image in fullscreen Injured Palestinians are transported to hospitals in the Zikim area. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

“The [Israel] Defense Forces continues to operate with great force to destroy the enemy’s capabilities and terrorist infrastructure in the area,” the military said.

Israel’s forces have not yet entered these districts during the current conflict because they suspect that Hamas may be holding hostages there. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in captivity in Gaza are believed still to be alive.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostage.

At least 58,895 Palestinians have been killed and 140,980 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since 7 October 2023, the Gaza health ministry said on Sunday.

Israel has granted two senior Christian leaders rare access to Gaza after an Israeli strike on the Palestinian territory’s only Roman Catholic church killed three people.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and his Greek Orthodox counterpart, Theophilos III, led a delegation on Friday to the Holy Family Church, whose shelling the day before triggered international condemnation.

Israeli authorities, which strictly control access to the besieged territory, permitted the visit after Benjamin Netanyahu said his country “deeply regrets” the strike on the church, where hundreds of Palestinians, including children and people with disabilities, have been sheltering.

The Israeli prime minister blamed the strike on a “stray” tank round, without providing evidence.

Netanyahu called Pope Leo on Friday morning and during the conversation the pontiff reiterated his appeal for “a renewed impetus to negotiations, for a ceasefire and for an end to the war”, the Vatican said in a statement.

Leo also expressed concern over the “dramatic” humanitarian situation in Gaza and stressed the urgent need to protect places of worship, the faithful and all people in the Palestinian territories and Israel, the statement added.

Ten people were wounded in the shelling, including Gabriel Romanelli, the church’s priest, who used to receive daily calls from the late Pope Francis. He suffered light injuries to his right leg.

Israel resumed its strikes on Friday morning, with at least 14 Palestinians reported to have been killed across Gaza.

Pizzaballa and Theophilos, who last week travelled to the occupied West Bank after an attack on a Byzantine-era church blamed on Israeli settlers, met local Christians.

As they entered the enclave, Pizzaballa received a call from Leo, who was elected as successor to Francis in May.

“Pope Leo repeatedly stated that it is time to stop this slaughter, that what has happened is unjustifiable, and that we must ensure there are no more victims,” he told Vatican News.

In a statement on Thursday, the pope had called for “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and expressed his “profound hope for dialogue, reconciliation and enduring peace in the region”.

The Greek Orthodox patriarchate said the visit was “a powerful expression” of church unity and solidarity. Among the delegation were representatives from more than 20 countries, including Jordan, Russia, China, the EU, Japan and Canada.

Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said the group arrived with 500 tonnes of aid for local civilians.

“The Italian government calls on Israel to stop military actions and to fully guarantee the safety of the two envoys in their important mission,” Tajani said.

Both Italy and France called the strike “unacceptable” and Donald Trump called Netanyahu after having “not a positive reaction” on hearing about it, according to Karoline Leavitt, the US president’s press secretary.

“It was a mistake by the Israelis to hit that Catholic church, that’s what the prime minister relayed to the president,” she told reporters.

There are about 1,000 Christians among Gaza’s population of more than 2 million. Most are Greek Orthodox, with about 135 Catholics, according to the Latin patriarchate.

Israel’s military says it does not target churches and religious sites but it has bombed mosques. The Jerusalem patriarchate said there had been “repeated assaults on Christian holy sites in Gaza”.

At least 32 people were killed and more than 100 injured on Saturday morning when Israeli troops opened fire on crowds of Palestinians seeking food from two aid distribution hubs in southern Gaza, according to witnesses and hospital officials.

People on the scene described it as “a massacre”, and claimed Israel Defense Forces fired “indiscriminately” at the groups of Palestinians – reported to be mostly young men – who were making their way towards the hubs run by the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Most of the deaths, which a civil defence agency spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, attributed to “Israeli gunfire”, occurred in the Teina area, about two miles from a GHF aid distribution centre east of Khan Younis.

Medical sources told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that many of the wounded are in a serious condition, while witnesses at the scene said many of the dead and injured were children and teenagers.

The Nasser hospital in Khan Younis received 25 bodies, as well as dozens of wounded people, while nine others were killed near a centre north-west of Rafah, the civil defence agency said.

Dr Atef al-Hout, director of Nasser hospital, described the situation as “an unprecedented number of casualties in a very short time”, warning that the actual death toll could be higher.

“We’re unable to provide adequate medical treatment as we lack equipment, medicine and personnel,” he told Haaretz.

In a statement, GHF, which was set up to replace the traditional UN-led aid distribution system in Gaza, said there were no incidents at or near its sites. It said the reported Israeli shootings occurred far from its sites and hours before they opened. “We have repeatedly warned aid seekers not to travel to our sites overnight and early morning hours,” the group said.

The Israeli military said it had fired “warning shots” near Rafah after a group of suspects approached troops and ignored calls to keep their distance. It said it was investigating reports of casualties, but noted the incident occurred overnight when the distribution centre was closed.

Mahmoud Mokeimar told Associated Press reporters he was walking with masses of people – mostly young men – towards the food hub. Troops fired warning shots as the crowds advanced, before opening fire on the marching people.

“It was a massacre,” he said. “The occupation opened fire at us indiscriminately.” He said he managed to escape but saw at least three motionless bodies lying on the ground, and many other wounded people fleeing.

Akram Aker said troops fired machine guns mounted on tanks and drones. He said the shooting happened between 5am and 6am.

“They encircled us and started firing directly at us,” he told AP. He said he saw many casualties lying on the ground.

View image in fullscreen Injured Palestinian children wait for treatment in Nasser hospital after coming under fire from the IDF in southern Gaza on Saturday. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Sana’a al-Jaberi, a 55-year-old woman, said she saw many dead and wounded as she fled the area.

“We shouted: ‘food, food’, but they didn’t talk to us. They just opened fire,” she said.

Four other witnesses also accused Israeli troops of opening fire, according to the news agency AFP.

“They started shooting at us and we lay down on the ground. Tanks and Jeeps came, soldiers got out of them and started shooting,” said Tamer Abu Akar, 24.

Elsewhere, the civil defence agency reported that an Israeli strike on a house near Nuseirat, in central Gaza, killed 12 people, the latest in a series of deadly bombardments.

More than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza are living through a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and the entire population is at risk of famine, according to food security experts, while distribution at the GHF sites has been described as “lethal chaos”.

Last Wednesday, 19 people were killed in a crush near a GHF hub and one person was stabbed. GHF blamed the incident on Hamas, describing it as “a calculated provocation, part of a pattern of targeted efforts by Hamas and its allies to dismantle our life-saving operations”.

Dr Mohamed Saker, the head of Nasser’s nursing department, told AP that most of the people who died on Saturday were shot in the head and chest, and that some were placed in the already overwhelmed intensive care unit.

“The situation is difficult and tragic,” he said, adding that the hospital desperately needed medical supplies to treat the daily flow of casualties.

Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been discussing an interim truce in the Gaza war, which would see 10 surviving hostages and the bodies of 18 others returned to Israel in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinians.

On Friday, President Donald Trump said at a dinner that 10 hostages would “very shortly” be released from Gaza, but provided no further details.

Speaking to lawmakers at the White House, Trump – who has been predicting for weeks that a US-led ceasefire and hostage-release deal was imminent – said: “We got most of the hostages back. We’re going to have another 10 coming very shortly, and we hope to have that finished quickly.”

Pope Leo XIV has condemned the “barbarity” of the Gaza war and called out “collective punishment” as officials said dozens more Palestinians were killed queuing for aid on Sunday.

The pontiff renewed his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, asking the international community to respect international laws and the obligation to protect civilians.

It came as Gazan officials said 73 refugees were killed after witnesses claimed Israeli soldiers and tanks fired on crowds queuing for food in northern Gaza.

“I once again call for an immediate end to the barbarity of this war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” Pope Leo XIV said.

“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations.”

Palestinians grieve after refugees were killed queuing for aid in southern Gaza (AFP via Getty Images)

Around 67 of those killed were gunned down trying to reach aid entering through the Zikim crossing with Israel, according to the health ministry and local hospitals.

“Tanks surrounded us and trapped us as gunshots and strikes rained down. We were trapped for two hours,” said Ehab Al-Zei, who had been waiting for flour. “I will never go back again. Let us die of hunger, it’s better.”

Israel’s military said soldiers had shot at a gathering of thousands of Palestinians in northern Gaza who posed a threat, and it was aware of some casualties.

On Saturday, witnesses said at least 32 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops while queuing for food distributed by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The shootings occurred near hubs operated by the US and Israeli-backed GHF, which launched operations in May this year.

Smoke rises to the sky following an Israeli army airstrike in Khan Younis on Saturday (AP)

The US and Israel seek to replace the traditional UN-led aid distribution system in Gaza, asserting that Hamas militants siphon off supplies. The UN denies the allegation.

While the GHF says it has distributed millions of meals to hungry Palestinians, local health officials and witnesses say Israeli army fire has killed hundreds of people as they try to reach the hubs since May.

The organisation’s four sites are in military-controlled zones. Israel’s army secures them from a distance, but does not operate them.

Pope Leo also expressed his “deep sorrow” for the Israeli attack on the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, which killed three people and wounded 10 others, including the parish priest.

The shelling of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza also damaged the church compound, where hundreds of Palestinians have been sheltering from the Israel-Hamas war, now in its 21st month.

Israel expressed regret over what it described as an accident and said it was investigating. “We need to dialogue and abandon weapons,” the pope said earlier on Sunday, after presiding over Mass at the nearby Cathedral of Albano.

Gaza’s population of more than two million Palestinians are in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, now relying largely on the limited aid allowed into the territory.

Many people have been displaced multiple times. Hamas triggered the war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.

Fifty remain in Gaza, but fewer than half are thought to be alive. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 58,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

AT least 73 Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach desperately needed aid in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.

It was one of the deadliest days in over 21 months of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, as civilians were targeted whilst trying to access food and medical relief.

Reports from AP say the highest death toll came in northern Gaza, where 67 people were killed near the Zikim crossing with Israel as aid trucks had just arrived.

According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), 25 trucks carrying supplies for “starving communities” entered the area but were met by large crowds that came under gunfire.

The WFP condemned the violence as “completely unacceptable.”

Eyewitnesses accused the Israeli military of opening fire on the crowds.

Ehab Al-Zei, who had been waiting for flour, told AP: “Suddenly, tanks surrounded us and trapped us as gunshots and strikes rained down. We were trapped for around two hours.”

“I will never go back again,” he added. “Let us die of hunger, it’s better.”

Another survivor, Nafiz Al-Najjar, said tanks and drones targeted civilians “randomly,” and that he witnessed his cousin and others being shot dead.

Israel’s military claimed the crowd posed a threat and acknowledged some casualties, but dismissed the numbers reported by Palestinian officials as exaggerated.

Medical teams said more than 150 people were injured, many of them in critical condition.

Elsewhere, seven Palestinians were killed while sheltering in tents in Khan Younis, including a five-year-old boy, according to the Kuwait Specialised Field Hospital.

The killings in northern Gaza did not take place near aid points operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – a US- and Israel-backed project.

However, health workers and witnesses say hundreds have been killed trying to access aid from that same network.

On the same day, Israel issued new evacuation orders in central Gaza, cutting off access between Deir al-Balah and the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis.

The United Nations is seeking clarification on whether its facilities in the area are included in the order.

An unnamed UN official noted that in past cases, UN facilities had been spared, but the scale of the current evacuation zone – which stretches to the Mediterranean coast – will severely limit humanitarian access.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged people to flee to the Muwasi area – a desolate tent camp with no basic infrastructure, now overcrowded with displaced families.

The announcement came as ceasefire talks in Qatar failed to produce progress.

Pope Leo has since renewed calls for an end to the violence. At the end of his Sunday Angelus prayer from a summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo, he said: “I once again call for an immediate end to the barbarity of this war and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.”

He also expressed his “deep sorrow” for the Israeli attack on the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, which killed three people and wounded 10 others, including the parish priest.

“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force, and the forced displacement of populations,” the Pope added.

Earlier this month, the Israeli military claimed it had taken control of more than 65% of Gaza.

More than 58,800 Palestinians have been killed since the genocide began.

Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are now facing full-scale famine, displacement, and relentless bombardment, with aid barely trickling in