Witnesses and health workers say Israeli forces opened fire near two aid distribution sites run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as crowds of hungry Palestinians sought food.

Dozens of Palestinians were killed, many while waiting for food aid, amid a deepening starvation crisis and despite Israeli assurances of a humanitarian pause in some areas of the territory.

As starvation rises in Gaza, prompting global outrage, Israel’s military said it would restart airborne aid delivery there and make land deliveries less dangerous.

"The tragedy is that Israel is getting the blame for the lack of humanitarian care, when the fact is, it's Hamas that started the war," Mike Huckabee said.