Mourners collect across the our bodies of 8 Crimson Crescent emergency responders, recovered in Rafah per week after an Israeli assault, as they’re transported for burial from a hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on Monday, March 31, 2025.
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
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Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
JERUSALEM — An Israeli investigation into the killings of 15 Palestinian medics final month in Gaza by Israeli forces stated Sunday it discovered “skilled failures” and a deputy commander will probably be fired.
Israel at first claimed that the medics’ autos didn’t have emergency alerts on when troops opened fireplace however later backtracked. Cellphone video recovered from one of many medics contradicted Israel’s preliminary account.
The army investigation discovered that the deputy battalion commander, “attributable to poor evening visibility,” assessed that the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants. Video footage obtained from the incident reveals the ambulances had lights flashing and logos seen as they pulled as much as assist one other ambulance that got here underneath fireplace earlier. The groups don’t seem like performing unusually or in a threatening method as three medics emerge and head towards it.
Their autos instantly come underneath a barrage of gunfire that goes on for greater than 5 minutes with temporary pauses.
Our bodies had been buried in a mass grave
Eight Crimson Crescent personnel, six Civil Protection staff and a U.N. staffer had been killed within the capturing earlier than daybreak on March 23 by troops conducting operations in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah. Troops bulldozed over the our bodies together with their mangled autos, burying them in a mass grave. U.N. and rescue staff had been solely in a position to attain the positioning per week later to dig out the our bodies.
The pinnacle of the Palestinian Crimson Crescent Society has stated the boys had been “focused at shut vary.”
The Israeli army investigation stated the examination discovered “no proof to assist claims of execution or that any of the deceased had been certain earlier than or after the capturing.”
It stated the Palestinians had been killed attributable to an “operational misunderstanding” by Israeli forces, and {that a} separate incident quarter-hour later, when Israeli troopers shot at a Palestinian U.N. automobile, was a breach of orders.
The deputy commander who will probably be dismissed was the primary to open fireplace and the remainder of the troopers additionally began capturing, the investigation stated.
The findings asserted that six of these killed had been Hamas members and stated a number of the others had been initially misidentified as Hamas. Israel’s army initially stated 9 had been militants. The Civil Protection is a part of the Hamas-run authorities.
Israel accuses Hamas of hiding fighters in ambulances
The investigation discovered that the choice to crush the ambulances was unsuitable however stated there was no try to hide the occasion. Maj. Gen Yoav Har-Even, in control of the army’s investigative department, stated the our bodies and autos had been faraway from the highway as a result of the army wished to make use of it for an evacuation route later that day.
Har-Even stated the army notified worldwide organizations in regards to the capturing that day and helped them find the our bodies.
The assertion on the findings concluded by saying that Israel’s army “regrets the hurt precipitated to uninvolved civilians.” The one survivor was detained for investigation and stays in custody for additional questioning.
The investigation’s findings have been turned over the Army Advocate Normal, which may resolve whether or not to file prices. It’s meant to be an impartial physique, with oversight by Israel’s lawyer basic and Supreme Courtroom.
There are not any outdoors investigations of the killings underway.
Israel has accused Hamas of transferring and hiding its fighters inside ambulances and emergency autos, in addition to in hospitals and different civilian infrastructure, arguing that justifies strikes on them. Medical personnel largely deny the accusations.
Israeli strikes have killed greater than 150 emergency responders from the Crimson Crescent and Civil Protection, most of them whereas on responsibility, in addition to over 1,000 well being staff in the course of the battle, based on the U.N. The Israeli army hardly ever investigates such incidents.
Israel disputes ICC accusations of battle crimes
Palestinians and worldwide human rights teams have repeatedly accused Israel’s army of failing to correctly examine or whitewashing misconduct by its troops.
Har-Even stated the Israeli army is presently investigating 421 incidents in the course of the battle, with 51 concluded and despatched to the Army Advocate Normal. There was no instant info on the variety of investigations involving potential wrongful deaths or what number of occasions the MAG has pursued felony prices.
The Worldwide Prison Courtroom, established by the worldwide group as a court docket of final resort, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former protection minister Yoav Gallant of battle crimes. Israel, which isn’t a member of the court docket, has lengthy asserted that its authorized system is able to investigating the military, and Netanyahu has accused the ICC of antisemitism.
The battle in Gaza started when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 folks, largely civilians, and abducting 251. A lot of the hostages have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers. Hamas presently holds 59 hostages, 24 of them believed to be alive.
Israel’s offensive has since killed over 51,000 Palestinians, largely girls and kids, based on Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The battle has destroyed huge elements of Gaza and most of its meals manufacturing capabilities. Round 90% of the inhabitants is displaced, with a whole bunch of 1000’s of individuals dwelling in tent camps and bombed-out buildings.
Frustration has been rising on each side, with uncommon public protests towards Hamas in Gaza and continued weekly rallies in Israel urgent the federal government to achieve a deal to deliver all hostages house.
