JERUSALEM — The Israeli military admitted that a series of “professional failures” resulted in the killing of 15 emergency responders in southern Gaza last month, including personnel from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Civil Defence teams, and a United Nations employee.
The findings were released on Sunday following an internal investigation conducted by the General Staff Fact-Finding Mechanism. The probe concluded that troops involved in the incident did not engage in “indiscriminate fire,” but acknowledged serious operational and procedural errors, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the investigation, the incident occurred before dawn on March 23 in the Tel al-Sultan neighbourhood of Rafah. Israeli forces mistakenly identified emergency vehicles as belonging to Hamas due to “poor night visibility.” A deputy commander allegedly failed to recognise the vehicles as ambulances and assessed them as hostile. Minutes later, soldiers opened fire on a UN-marked vehicle, which the military attributed to “operational errors in breach of regulations.”
The investigation found that eight Red Crescent staff, six Civil Defence personnel, and a UN employee were killed in the shooting. Video evidence later contradicted initial Israeli claims that the vehicles lacked emergency markings.
Footage showed ambulances with flashing lights and visible logos as medics approached another ambulance that had previously come under fire. The teams did not display hostile behaviour, yet came under sustained gunfire lasting over five minutes.
Following the shooting, Israeli troops used bulldozers to bury the bodies and vehicles. Rescue and UN workers were only able to access the site approximately one week later to retrieve the remains.
The military stated that the deputy commander responsible for initiating the attack and providing an “incomplete and inaccurate report” during the debrief would be dismissed. A senior commander will also face disciplinary measures for his role in managing the scene.
While the probe acknowledged that crushing the ambulances was a mistake, Yoav Har-Even, who leads the military’s investigative division, said the action was taken to clear the road for evacuation purposes later that day. He denied any intent to conceal the incident.
The investigation also refuted allegations that the victims had been executed at close range or that they were bound before or after the shooting. These claims were raised by the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, who said the responders had been “targeted at close range.”
The investigation’s findings have been submitted to the Military Advocate General, which may decide whether to pursue legal charges. The investigative process is formally overseen by Israel’s attorney general and Supreme Court, though there are no independent international investigations currently underway.
According to the United Nations, Israeli military strikes have killed more than 1,000 health workers since the onset of the conflict. The Israeli military has been criticised for rarely conducting thorough investigations into such cases. — IANS
