ANKARA

An Israeli military source admitted Thursday that the army opened fire on Palestinians waiting to receive humanitarian aid in Gaza City, leaving many dead and injured. 

The source, who preferred his name not mentioned, told Anadolu that the shooting took place near the "humanitarian corridor" that the army is establishing, south of Gaza City.

The deadly assault occurred when several Palestinians approached the Israeli force that was overseeing the entry of aid trucks into Gaza City, posing danger to the soldiers, prompting them to open fire, according to the source, who said the shooting is under investigation by the army.

The army claimed that a stampede while trying to distribute aid caused causalities to the Palestinians, along with being struck by aid trucks.

It said an initial investigation found some Palestinians approached an Israeli military checkpoint overseeing the entry of the trucks with soldiers firing warning shots and shooting at the legs of Palestinians who continued to move toward the troops.

The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 104 Palestinians were killed in the attack.

Israel has launched a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv said killed less than 1,200 people.

At least 30,035 Palestinians have since been killed and more than 70,457 others injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Gaza Strip, leaving its population, particularly residents of northern Gaza, on the verge of starvation.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.