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Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari on Sunday released an updated timeline of events surrounding the deaths of more than 100 people in an aid convoy Thursday in northern Gaza.

He claimed that the stampede had already occurred before the first warning shots were fired by Israeli soldiers and that those shots were intended to disperse the crowd.

Israeli soldiers subsequently fired on the “looters” who approached them and “posed an immediate threat”, he said.

“Our initial review revealed that warning shots were fired to disperse the stampede and as our forces began to retreat, several looters approached our forces and posed an immediate threat to them. “Based on initial review, troops responded to multiple casualties,” Hagari said in a video statement in English.

This account contradicts what witnesses told CNN after the disaster, which killed at least 118 people, according to Gaza’s health ministry. CNN cannot independently verify the figures due to international media’s lack of access to Gaza during times of war.

Eyewitnesses, including local journalist Khader al Zanoun, said that chaos and confusion began at the site when Israeli soldiers opened fire.

He said most of the deaths and injuries resulted from aid trucks colliding with people as drivers tried to avoid the crossfire.

Hagari said in his statement on Sunday that most of the injuries and deaths were the result of the stampede.

He said the IDF has “launched an investigation to further investigate the incident, which will help us reduce the risk of such a tragic incident happening again during our humanitarian operations.”

Transcript of the statement issued by the IDF:

“In the early hours of Thursday morning, Israel Defense Forces launched a humanitarian operation to help deliver aid to civilians in northern Gaza.

This was the fourth night in a row that we facilitated such an operation, as we want humanitarian aid to reach Gazans who need it.

You see, our war is not against the people of Gaza. Our war is against Hamas:

Hamas itself started this war on 7 October. It is Hamas that has caused immense suffering to civilians on both sides of the border.

The IDF has completed a preliminary review of the unfortunate incident in which Gaza civilians were crushed to death and injured during an attack on an aid convoy.

Our initial review has confirmed that the IDF did not launch any attacks against the aid convoy.

Most Palestinians were killed or injured as a result of the stampede.

Our initial review from the information we gathered from commanders and forces on the ground indicated that shots were fired after a warning shot to disperse the stampede and as our forces began to retreat, many of the looters approached our forces. Came and posed an immediate threat to them. , According to an initial review, the military responded to multiple individuals.

As military professionals committed to international law, we are committed to rigorously investigating our operations.

We have launched an investigation to further investigate the incident, which will help us reduce the risk of such a tragic incident happening again during one of our humanitarian operations.

The incident will be investigated by the Fact Check and Evaluation Mechanism: an independent, professional and expert body.

In the interest of transparency, we will hopefully share updates in the coming days as our test develops.

I want to make something clear: Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza.

That’s why we’re providing support; create humanitarian corridors; establish a one-way humanitarian pause; And be careful in using force.

“Israel and the international community are working together to allow entry and delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza residents.”