Shocking Findings: Israeli Investigation Reveals ‘Professional Failures’ Behind Killings of 15 Palestinian Medics in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli investigation into the deaths of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza revealed serious mistakes on the part of military officials. The investigation led to the firing of a deputy commander involved in the incident.

These killings drew outrage worldwide, with many labeling them a war crime. International humanitarian law protects medical personnel, and the International Red Cross/Red Crescent stated this attack marked the deadliest incident against its staff in eight years.

Initially, Israel claimed that the medics’ ambulances lacked visible emergency signals when troops opened fire. However, recovered cellphone footage showed otherwise: the ambulances had flashing lights and logos visible as they arrived to assist another vehicle that had been attacked.

The military’s findings indicated the deputy commander incorrectly presumed all ambulances were associated with Hamas militants. Due to poor visibility at night and a perceived threat, he opened fire. The military admitted that the flashing lights were hard to see using night-vision gear.

The attack on the ambulances lasted over five minutes and included multiple bursts of gunfire. Tragically, eight personnel from the Red Crescent, as well as six Civil Defense workers and a U.N. staffer, were killed. After the shooting, the Israeli troops bulldozed the bodies and vehicles into a mass grave, claiming it was done to protect them until rescue workers could reach the site a week later.

While the investigation found that the decision to dispose of the ambulances was wrong, it claimed there was no effort to cover up the shootings. The military did notify international organizations later on and aided in locating the bodies.

The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society criticized the attack, asserting that the medics were targeted from a short distance. Military footage confirmed that soldiers were just 20 to 30 meters away from the ambulances. Importantly, no paramedic was found to be armed, and no weapons were discovered within any of the vehicles.

In a response to the findings, Jonathan Whittall, interim head of the U.N. humanitarian office in Gaza, expressed concern about the need for accountability in such incidents. Without proper accountability, he warned, future atrocities could continue with no consequence.

The report has been handed over to the Military Advocate General, which will decide if any civil charges should be filed. However, there are no independent investigations currently looking into this case.

Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed over 150 emergency responders and more than 1,000 health workers since the conflict intensified. The Israeli military often claims that Hamas uses ambulances and hospitals as cover for its operations, a claim medical professionals dispute.

Additionally, the International Criminal Court has accused Israeli officials of war crimes in Gaza. Though Israel is not a member of the ICC and claims it can effectively investigate its own military, there’s skepticism about the integrity of these investigations. As of now, around 421 incidents in Gaza during the war are under investigation by the Israeli military.

This ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked southern Israel. The violence has since resulted in the deaths of over 51,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Public sentiment on both sides has been fraught with frustration, leading to rare protests against Hamas in Gaza and ongoing rallies in Israel advocating for hostage recovery.

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Israel, Israel government, Gaza Strip, Yoav Gallant, Benjamin Netanyahu, General news, Middle East, Israel-Hamas war, War and unrest, Hamas, United Nations, Red Cross and Red Crescent, Military and defense, AP Top News, Yoav Har-Even, Health, Jonathan Whittall, Shootings, World news, Hostage situations