An Israeli military investigation into the deaths of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza last month concluded Sunday that a series of “professional failures” led to the deadly incident.
A deputy commander will be dismissed – the most severe punishment of the 18-month-long war.
The Israeli military initially claimed the medics’ vehicles lacked emergency signals when troops opened fire.
However, after video footage surfaced from one medic’s phone, the military revised its account.
The footage showed ambulances with flashing lights and logos as they approached to aid another ambulance under attack.
The deadly shooting occurred on March 23 during a military operation in Tel al-Sultan, a district in southern Gaza’s Rafah.
Eight Red Crescent workers, six Civil Defense staff, and a U.N. employee were killed after Israeli forces opened fire for over five minutes.
The bodies were bulldozed into a mass grave, and rescue teams were unable to reach the site for a week.
The investigation revealed that the deputy battalion commander, misjudging the situation due to poor night visibility, believed the ambulances were being used by Hamas.
Despite the vehicles’ clear emergency markings, troops, including the deputy commander who fired first, opened fire on the medics.
Israeli forces also targeted a Palestinian U.N. vehicle 15 minutes later, breaching orders.
The investigation found no evidence of execution-style killings or that the victims were bound before or after being shot, as some reports had claimed.
The military described the incident as an “operational misunderstanding.”
No weapons were found in the medics’ vehicles, and Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even, head of the military’s investigative branch, confirmed that no paramedic was armed.
Despite the investigation’s conclusion, the Israeli military’s actions raised concerns about its treatment of civilian and humanitarian targets.
The bodies were removed to clear a route for evacuation later that day, according to the military.
The deputy commander was dismissed for giving an inaccurate report about the U.N. vehicle incident, which also resulted in a fatality.
The military expressed regret over the harm caused but stressed that there was no attempt to conceal the event.
The findings have been forwarded to the Military Advocate General for potential charges, though investigations by external parties into these killings remain absent.
The attack on the medics is part of a broader pattern of Israeli military actions that have resulted in the deaths of over 150 emergency responders, according to the U.N., and over 1,000 health workers.
Israel has accused Hamas of using ambulances and hospitals to hide its members, justifying attacks on these targets – a claim that medical personnel largely deny.
Despite these investigations, Palestinians and international human rights groups accuse Israel of failing to fully investigate or hold soldiers accountable for such incidents.
The military currently investigates 421 incidents in Gaza, with 51 sent to the Military Advocate General for review.
Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza, which began following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 incursion on southern Israel has resulted in over 51,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children.
The war has displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population, with widespread destruction to homes and food production.
The international community, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), has voiced concerns about potential war crimes by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
Israel, however, insists its legal system is capable of investigating these matters.
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