Unable to clone git repository as template if the repo is protected

[M3nace]

I'm trying to use the --repository option of the kn CLI to create a function from a template hosted on a GitLab instance, but I get an error about authentication.

Non-working command:
kn func create myfunc -l python -t fastapi --repository "https://<my-gitlab-host>/kn-templates"

The error:

Error: failed to get repository from URI ("https://<my-gitlab-host>/kn-templates"): failed to clone repository: authentication required: HTTP Basic: Access denied. If a password was provided for Git authentication, the password was incorrect or you're required to use a token instead of a password. If a token was provided, it was either incorrect, expired, or improperly scoped. See https://<my-gitlab-host>/help/topics/git/troubleshooting_git.md#error-on-git-fetch-http-basic-access-denied

The repository visibility settings is set to internal (cue the authentication).

However, I've set up my .gitconfig to use a .git-credentials file in my /home, allowing me to clone the repository without providing any user/password.

$ cat ~/.gitconfig
[credential]
	helper = store
...

$ cat ~/.git-credentials 
https://<user>:<password>@<my-gitlab-host>
...

Working git clone command:
git clone https://<my-gitlab-host>/kn-templates

If I set the user/password in the URL, kn can clone and create the function.

Working command:
kn func create myfunc -l python -t fastapi --repository "https://<user>:<password>@<my-gitlab-host>/kn-templates"

Is there a way to configure kn to use the .gitconfig/.git-credentials of the user ?

nb: my kn binary comes from the OpenShift instance running locally, referenced in the webpage /command-line-tools. The cluster has the operator Red Hat OpenShift Serverless in version 1.37.0.