The collapse of water systems in Gaza is threatening the territory with devastating drought as well as hunger, Unicef has warned, amid fresh reports of casualties among desperate Palestinians seeking aid.

On Friday at least 25 people awaiting aid trucks were killed by Israeli fire south of Netzarim in central Gaza, according to local health authorities.

More than 100 Palestinians have died in recent days while trying either to reach aid distribution points managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a secretive US- and Israel- backed organisation that recently started to hand out food in the territory, or to offload the limited number of UN and commercial vehicles carrying flour and some other basics.