JERUSALEM โ An investigation by Israeli authorities has revealed significant instances of โprofessional failuresโ in the killings of 15 Palestinian medical workers last month in Gaza by Israeli forces. This probe has led to the dismissal of a deputy commander involved in the incident.
These killings garnered widespread international condemnation, with certain entities branding the incident as a war crime. International humanitarian law provides special protections to medical personnel, making this situation particularly sensitive. The International Red Cross/Red Crescent commented that this event marks the deadliest assault on its workers in the past eight years.
Initially, Israel contended that the medicsโ vehicles lacked emergency signals when its troops fired upon them. However, this claim was retracted after cellphone footage from one of the medics revealed that the ambulances were visibly marked with flashing lights and logos as they approached the scene to assist another ambulance previously targeted.
The military investigation detailed that the deputy battalion commander mistakenly believed the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants. According to the findings, operating under โpoor night visibility,โ the commander perceived a threat to his troops as the ambulances approached rapidly and medics exited the vehicles to provide aid. Reports highlighted that the flashing lights were not prominent through night-vision equipment.
As the ambulances entered the area, they were met with an extensive surge of gunfire lasting over five minutes, interspersed with brief pauses. A short time later, soldiers also fired on a U.N. vehicle that stopped at the location.
The aftermath saw bodies interred in a mass grave. Among those killed were eight members of the Red Crescent, six Civil Defense staff, and a U.N. employee, all of whom lost their lives in the early hours of March 23 during an Israeli operation in the Tel al-Sultan district of Rafah, in southern Gaza. Soldiers reportedly buried the bodies and damaged vehicles with bulldozers, claiming this was to prevent desecration by wild animals until a proper retrieval could take place. This decision was later labeled as incorrect by the military, although it was clarified there was no intent to obscure the shooting incident.
Maj. Gen. Yoav Har-Even, responsible for overseeing military investigations, stated that information about the event was communicated to international bodies later that day. Additionally, recovery efforts were assisted by providing details on body locations.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Societyโs head accused the soldiers of deliberately targeting their workers at close range. Footage displayed by the military from night-vision drones confirmed soldiersโ proximity, estimated between 20 and 30 meters from the ambulances.
According to Har-Even, the deputy commander was the initial shooter, triggering a response from the rest of the unit. The investigation attributed the paramedicsโ deaths to an โoperational misunderstandingโ and noted that the attack on the U.N. vehicle was a violation of commands.
The findings suggest that three paramedics were mistakenly identified as Hamas affiliates, alongside six individuals purported to be militants, though no specifics were provided. The military stressed no weapons were found among any of the medical personnel or within the medic vehicles.
Additionally, a surviving medic was held for further investigation, with initial misunderstood claims that he identified as a Hamas member subsequently disproven.
The U.N. demanded accountability, stressing the importance of preserving laws meant to protect civilians and humanitarian workers. Jonathan Whittall, representing the U.N. humanitarian office OCHA in Gaza, echoed the need for transparency to prevent ongoing atrocities. Despite the investigation revelations, there was no immediate comment from the Red Crescent or Civil Defense.
The findings were submitted to the Military Advocate General, a supposedly autonomous entity with review by the Israeli Attorney General and Supreme Court, to determine potential civil charges. As it stands, there are no external investigations into these events.
Throughout the war, Israeli strikes reportedly claimed the lives of over 150 Red Crescent and Civil Defense emergency responders, and more than 1,000 health workers, with most casualties happening while on duty, as per U.N. reports. Israel rarely conducts inquiries into these incidents.
Israel argued that Hamas leveraged ambulances and medical facilities for militant activities, reasons used to justify strikes on such infrastructures. These claims remain widely contested by medical teams.
Palestinians and human rights organizations repeatedly accuse Israel of insufficient inquiry or glossing over military misconduct. Har-Even noted ongoing probes into 421 events in Gaza throughout the conflict, though comprehensive details on possible wrongful death investigations or subsequent charges are not disclosed.
Sprung from an attack by Hamas-led militants on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli casualties and numerous kidnappings, the war in Gaza has escalated, causing significant loss of life on both sides. Figures from Gazaโs Health Ministry indicate over 51,000 Palestinian deaths, with the majority being women and children.
Frustrations persist on both fronts, leading to sporadic anti-Hamas demonstrations in Gaza and ongoing protests in Israel as citizens demand the return of all hostages.