Dr Sayeed Joudeh had come out of retirement to help during the war between Israel and Hamas.

Israel killed 13 Palestinians in two airstrikes on Thursday that Gaza medics and Hamas said were part of a force protecting humanitarian aid trucks, but Israel's military said they were Hamas militants trying to hijack the shipment.

An Israeli strike in the central section of the Gaza Strip resulted in numerous fatalities on Thursday, according to Palestinian reports, with other deaths reported elsewhere including eight suspected Hamas members.