GAZA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-one Palestinians were killed on Wednesday morning near an aid distribution center in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, said Gaza-based health authorities.
Among the dead, 15 were killed from suffocation due to the release of gases on the crowds and the subsequent stampede, said the health authorities in a statement.
"For the first time, deaths have been recorded due to suffocation and severe stampede among citizens at aid distribution centers," it said.
According to the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), one victim was stabbed "amid a chaotic and dangerous surge, driven by agitators in the crowd."
"We have credible reason to believe that elements within the crowd -- armed and affiliated with Hamas -- deliberately fomented the unrest," said the GHF in a statement on social media.
The GHF is operated by U.S. security contractors and is approved by the Israeli government. The GHF has faced mounting criticism for poor management and operational chaos. ■
