Palestinians carry humanitarian aid packages near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution center operated in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip [Abdel Kareem Hana/AP]

The Israeli news outlet, Haaretz, reports that soldiers operating near food aid sites in Gaza have deliberately fired upon Palestinians.

Tel Aviv, June 28 (RHC)-- Israeli soldiers have deliberately shot at unarmed Palestinians seeking aid in Gaza after being “ordered” to do so by their commanders, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports.   Israel ordered an investigation into possible war crimes over the allegations by some soldiers that it revealed on Friday, Haaretz said.

At least 549 Palestinians have been killed and 4,066 injured while waiting for food aid distributed at sites run by the Israeli-and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the Gaza Government Media Office said on Thursday.  The GHF has been a source of widespread criticism since its establishment in May.

According to the Haaretz report, which quoted unnamed Israeli soldiers, troops were told to fire at the crowds of Palestinians and use unnecessary lethal force against people who appeared to pose no threat.

“We fired machineguns from tanks and threw grenades,” one soldier told Haaretz.  “There was one incident where a group of civilians was hit while advancing under the cover of fog.”

In another instance, a soldier said that where they were stationed in Gaza, between “one and five people were killed every day.”  “It’s a killing field,” that soldier said.

[ SOURCE: AL JAZEERA and NEWS AGENCIES ]