CANBERRA - The Australian government is urgently investigating reports that a citizen has been killed while delivering aid in Gaza, Prime Minister (PM) Anthony Albanese has said.

The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said on Monday local time that an Australian citizen was among employees of aid organization the World Central Kitchen (WCK), who were killed when a convoy in which they were traveling was hit by an Israeli airstrike south of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

Responding to the reports, Albanese told state media Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio that the federal government was investigating.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the reports of the airstrike were very distressing and reiterated the need for civilian lives to be protected in the conflict.