IDF Admits Operational Failures in Deadly Strike on Gaza Medics

IDF Admits Operational Failures in Deadly Strike on Gaza Medics

The Israeli military has admitted that a combination of “professional failures” led to the deaths of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza’s Rafah on March 23, following a detailed investigation into the tragic incident. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that an “operational misunderstanding” and a “breach of orders” were at the core of the misfire, but insisted that no violations of the military’s ethical code occurred.

According to the IDF, the deputy commander of the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit has been dismissed for submitting “an incomplete and inaccurate report” during an initial debrief. The commander of the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade, which oversaw the operation in Rafah, has also been formally reprimanded for his overall responsibility and subsequent management of the scene.

The investigation was led by Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Har-Even of the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, an independent military body assigned to probe unusual events during the conflict. While the probe acknowledged the absence of ethical breaches, it cited multiple tactical errors and violations of protocol that culminated in the deaths of Red Crescent medics, UN personnel, and members of the Palestinian Civil Defense.

On the night in question, Israeli forces had launched an operation to encircle the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah. At around 3:57 a.m., troops opened fire on a vehicle they wrongly believed to be a Hamas police car. Two people inside were killed, and a third was detained for interrogation. Although initially identified as a Hamas operative, he was later cleared and released.

Further complications arose when a convoy of emergency vehicles—including ambulances and a fire truck—arrived on the scene to treat casualties from the first strike. The IDF said the troops mistook the vehicles for a threat. The deputy commander could not clearly see the rescue vehicles and misidentified the fire truck, prompting him to open fire. According to the probe, soldiers “fired for about three minutes,” stopping only when they reached the scene and realized the victims were unarmed rescue workers.

Later, a United Nations-marked pickup truck entered the area. Although clearly identified, troops opened fire on it in breach of IDF protocol, killing a UNRWA employee. The military said this was an attempt to drive the vehicle away, but admitted it was against standard procedure.

The bodies of the medics were gathered and buried at the site under sand to prevent scavenging animals from disturbing them. The IDF said this was standard practice, but acknowledged that using a bulldozer to crush the ambulances was a mistake. “The existing guidelines on the special caution required with regard to rescue forces and medical workers, even in areas of intense combat, were sharpened and clarified,” the IDF said.

In an on-the-record briefing, Major General Yoav Har-Even - who investigated the incident - told journalists that the Israeli military maintained that six of the emergency workers were Hamas operatives and said they would later be named.

The findings have been submitted to the Military Advocate General, who will assess whether additional disciplinary action is warranted. While the IDF first admitted responsibility five days after the incident, the bodies of the medics were not recovered until April 1.

The Palestine Red Crescent strongly rejected the IDF’s conclusions. “It is invalid and unacceptable, as it justifies the killing and shifts responsibility to a personal error in the field command when the truth is quite different,” said Red Crescent spokesperson Nebal Farsakh. The organization described the strike as “full of lies.”

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called it the deadliest single attack on their personnel since 2017. The United Nations reports that more than 1,060 healthcare workers have been killed since the war began in October, when Hamas launched a deadly assault that killed around 1,200 Israelis and saw 251 taken hostage. The IDF maintains that Hamas operatives frequently operate from within medical facilities.

IDF Spokesperson's Statement: Summary of the Examination Into the Incident Involving Rescue Teams and Vehicles In the Gaza Strip

https://www.idf.il/286249

Adpated by ASEAN Now from AFP | TOI  2025-04-21

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