Israeli tank and gunfire has been heard while huge crowds of Palestinians tried to reach a newly opened aid distribution centre in southern Gaza, an Associated Press journalist reports.

There was no immediate word on whether there were any injuries.

The firing came as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians walked through Israeli military lines to reach the aid hub set up on the outskirts of Rafah by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-backed group that Israel has slated to take over food distribution in Gaza, AP noted.

The AP journalist, “positioned some distance from the distribution point, heard gunfire and rounds of tank fire”. Smoke could be seen rising from where one round impacted.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.