UN human rights chief Volker Turk has called for a “prompt and impartial investigation” into deadly attacks on civilians around aid distribution sites in the Gaza Strip, AFP reports.

“For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Turk said in a statement.

“Palestinians have been presented the grimmest of choices: die from starvation or risk being killed while trying to access the meagre food that is being made available through Israel’s militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism.”

The UN official added: “This militarised system endangers lives and violates international standards on aid distribution, as the United Nations has repeatedly warned.”