idf-admits-error-after-fatal-attack-on-gaza-ambulances

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have admitted to making a grave mistake after dismissing the deputy commander of the Golani Brigade's reconnaissance unit following an incident on March 23, in which his forces opened fire on a convoy of ambulances and emergency vehicles in Rafah, southern Gaza, resulting in the deaths of 15 rescue workers.

 

The commander has also been removed from his post due to providing a "partial and inaccurate" account of the incident during a preliminary investigation, according to the military.

 

The IDF has also stated that the commander of the 14th Reserve Armoured Brigade, the unit responsible for the operation in Rafah, is being formally censured for his "overall responsibility for the incident," which includes tampering with evidence from the scene.

 

The initial Israeli explanation claimed that the troops were unable to differentiate between ambulances and enemy vehicles due to the lack of lights and sirens.

 

However, this account was debunked by international media, which highlighted that the ambulances were clearly visible with their red lights flashing and sirens operational.

 

The soldiers opened fire on the vehicles for about three minutes before realising, upon reaching the vehicles, that they had attacked unarmed civilians. One paramedic survived the incident and was taken for questioning by the IDF, with reports stating he was still in custody as of Sunday.

 

The IDF's investigation concluded that while covering the bodies in sand and marking the burial spot was an approved practice, crushing the ambulances was a mistake.

 

The investigation also noted that the first two instances of gunfire against the ambulances and a fire engine were due to the troops feeling they were in danger, while the third incident, involving a UN vehicle, was deemed a breach of protocol.

 

However, the Palestine Red Crescent rejected the IDF's findings, describing them as "full of lies."

 

Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Red Crescent, stated that the findings were "invalid and unacceptable," accusing the investigation of justifying the killings and shifting responsibility onto a "personal error" in field command, while the true nature of the incident remained different.

 

According to the United Nations, at least 1,060 healthcare workers have been killed since Israel's offensive in Gaza began in response to Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, which resulted in around 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 251 individuals.