The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), on Sunday (Apr 20), acknowledged a failure in reporting an incident where its troops killed 15 Gaza medics and rescuers last month. 

Advertisment

Taking disciplinary action, the army is dismissing the commander in charge at the time of the incident. 

"The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident," the army said in a summary of the probe, adding a deputy commander "will be dismissed from his position due to his responsibilities as the field commander... and for providing an incomplete and inaccurate report during the debrief".

The military further said that the investigation into the killing of the medics last month found that six of the victims were Hamas militants and expressed grief over the loss of civilian lives in the incident.

Advertisment

"Fifteen Palestinians were killed, six of whom were identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists," the army said, referring to the incident on March 23. "The IDF (military) regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians," it added.

Also read: Israeli army backtracks on account of killing 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza, admits 'mistake'

Incident 'under thorough examination'

Advertisment

Initially, Israeli forces stated they opened fire because the medics' vehicles were advancing suspiciously without headlights or emergency signals. However, video evidence obtained from a phone found in the pocket of one of the slain medics shows the vehicles had their emergency lights flashing and logos clearly visible before coming under fire, according to the Associated Press.

An Israeli army official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, earlier this month, said that the account was "mistaken".

The video showed the Red Crescent and Civil Defense teams driving at a slow speed with their logos visible, emergency lights flashing as they pulled up to assist an ambulance that had earlier come under fire.

Following this, their vehicles immediately come under attack, continuing for over five minutes. In the footage, the owner can be heard praying.

“Forgive me, mother. This is the path I chose, mother, to help people,” he cried, with his voice weak.

Eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defense workers and a UN staffer were killed by Israeli armed forces in the shooting that took place before dawn on March 23 in Tel al-Sultan, a district of the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society's vice president, Marwan Jilani, said that the phone with the video in question was found in the pocket of one of its slain staffers, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier, the Israeli military, on being asked about the video, said that the incident was “under thorough examination.”