NEW YORK / PNN/

The UN chief today condemned Israeli occupation forces for opening fire on starving Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid south of Gaza City, killing more than 100 victims and injuring 700 others.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Antonio Guterres, said in a briefing, "The Secretary-General condemns the incident today in northern Gaza in which more than a hundred people were reportedly killed or injured while seeking life-saving aid."

Dujarric reiterated Guterres' demand for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire and said the UN chief "once again calls for urgent steps so that critical humanitarian aid can get into and across Gaza to all those in need."

"The continued hostilities and other challenges continue to impede our efforts to reach civilians in Gaza with life-saving health and nutrition care," Dujarric added.

The spokesperson pointed out that the UN is aware of Palestinian deaths related to dehydration and malnutrition in northern Gaza and urged a thorough investigation.

Early today, Israeli occupation forces opened heavy gunfire and shelled a crowd of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid south of Gaza City, leaving at least 104 dead and 760 injured.

At least 30,035 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, and 70,457 others injured, since the outbreak of the ongoing Israeli aerial and ground aggression on the enclave last October.

Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the coastal enclave, especially in northern Gaza, leaving its population 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.