Israeli Probe Finds ‘Professional Failures’ In Gaza Strike That Killed 15 Medics, Deputy Commander To Be Fired

An Israeli military investigation found "professional failures" in the killings of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza, leading to the firing of a deputy commander.

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Source : ABPLIVE AI

An investigation into the killings of 15 Palestinian medics last month in Gaza by Israeli forces has found “professional failures,” and the deputy commander will be fired, reports news agency AP. Firstly, Israel claimed that the vehicle of the medics did not have the emergency signals on when the troops opened fire. It, however, backtracked later. The cellphone video recovered from one of the medics contradicted the initial account of Israel.

According to AP, the military investigation found that the deputy battalion commander, “due to poor night visibility,” assessed that the ambulances belonged to Hamas militants. The video footage obtained from the incident showed the ambulances had lights flashing and logos visible as they pulled to help another ambulance that came under the fire earlier. The teams, however, do not appear to be acting unusually or in a threatening manner as three medics emerge and head toward it.

Their vehicles immediately come under a barrage of gunfire that goes on for more than five minutes with brief pauses, the AP report mentioned. In the shooting, eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defence workers and a U.N. staffer were killed. The troops bulldozed over the bodies along with their mangled vehicles, burying them in a mass grave. The UN and rescue workers were only able to reach the site a week later to dig out the bodies.

News agency AP reported, quoting an Israeli military investigation, that the Palestinians were killed due to an “operational misunderstanding” by Israeli forces and that a separate incident 15 minutes later, when Israeli soldiers shot at a Palestinian U.N. vehicle, was a breach of orders. It was not immediately clear whether the military investigation found that any of those killed were Hamas militants. Israel’s military initially said nine were militants.

The probe findings have been turned over to the Military Advocate General, which can decide whether to file charges.

The war in Gaza began in 2023 when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Presently, Hamas holds 59 hostages.