Mourners collect across the our bodies of 8 Pink 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 mentioned Sunday it discovered “skilled failures” and a deputy commander can be fired.
Israel at first claimed that the medics’ automobiles 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, “as a consequence of 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 below fireplace earlier. The groups don’t look like appearing unusually or in a threatening method as three medics emerge and head towards it.
Their automobiles instantly come below a barrage of gunfire that goes on for greater than 5 minutes with transient pauses.
Our bodies had been buried in a mass grave
Eight Pink 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 automobiles, burying them in a mass grave. U.N. and rescue staff had been solely capable of attain the positioning per week later to dig out the our bodies.
The top of the Palestinian Pink Crescent Society has mentioned the boys had been “focused at shut vary.”
The Israeli army investigation mentioned the examination discovered “no proof to help claims of execution or that any of the deceased had been certain earlier than or after the capturing.”
It mentioned the Palestinians had been killed as a consequence of 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 can be dismissed was the primary to open fireplace and the remainder of the troopers additionally began capturing, the investigation mentioned.
The findings asserted that six of these killed had been Hamas members and mentioned among the others had been initially misidentified as Hamas. Israel’s army initially mentioned 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 fallacious however mentioned there was no try to hide the occasion. Maj. Gen Yoav Har-Even, accountable for the army’s investigative department, mentioned the our bodies and automobiles had been faraway from the street as a result of the army wished to make use of it for an evacuation route later that day.
Har-Even mentioned 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 prompted 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 Basic, which may determine whether or not to file costs. It’s meant to be an impartial physique, with oversight by Israel’s legal professional normal and Supreme Court docket.
There aren’t any outdoors investigations of the killings underway.
Israel has accused Hamas of shifting and hiding its fighters inside ambulances and emergency automobiles, 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 Pink Crescent and Civil Protection, most of them whereas on responsibility, in addition to over 1,000 well being staff in the course of the struggle, in accordance with the U.N. The Israeli army hardly ever investigates such incidents.
Israel disputes ICC accusations of struggle 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 mentioned the Israeli army is at the moment investigating 421 incidents in the course of the struggle, with 51 concluded and despatched to the Army Advocate Basic. There was no fast info on the variety of investigations involving potential wrongful deaths or what number of occasions the MAG has pursued felony costs.
The Worldwide Prison Court docket, established by the worldwide group as a courtroom of final resort, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former protection minister Yoav Gallant of struggle crimes. Israel, which isn’t a member of the courtroom, has lengthy asserted that its authorized system is able to investigating the military, and Netanyahu has accused the ICC of antisemitism.
The struggle in Gaza started when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 folks, principally civilians, and abducting 251. A lot of the hostages have been launched in ceasefire agreements or different offers. Hamas at the moment holds 59 hostages, 24 of them believed to be alive.
Israel’s offensive has since killed over 51,000 Palestinians, principally ladies and youngsters, in accordance with Gaza’s Well being Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The struggle has destroyed huge elements of Gaza and most of its meals manufacturing capabilities. Round 90% of the inhabitants is displaced, with tons of of 1000’s of individuals residing 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 succeed in a deal to convey all hostages residence.
