The Israeli navy has mentioned its investigation into the killing of assist employees in Gaza has discovered there have been “several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident”.
A commanding officer might be reprimanded and a deputy commander might be dismissed following the navy investigation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) mentioned.
Fifteen assist employees have been shot lifeless by Israeli troops who opened fireplace on a convoy of automobiles, together with ambulances, on 23 March.
They have been then buried in a shallow grave the place their our bodies have been discovered every week later by officers from the United Nations and the Palestinian Pink Crescent.
At first, Israel claimed the medics’ automobiles didn’t have emergency alerts on when troops fired their photographs, however later backtracked.
Cell phone footage which was recovered from one of many medics contradicted Israel’s preliminary account.
In an announcement on Sunday, an IDF spokesperson mentioned: “The Commanding Officer of the 14th Brigade will receive a reprimand, which will be recorded in his personal file, for his overall responsibility for the incident, including the procedure of combat and management of the scene afterward.
“The deputy commander of the Golani Reconnaissance Battalion might be dismissed from his place as a result of his tasks as the sector commander on this incident and for offering an incomplete and inaccurate report in the course of the debrief.”
Picture:
Footage was launched of the assault on 23 March
‘Poor night time visibility’
The investigation discovered that the deputy commander didn’t initially recognise the automobiles as ambulances “due to poor night visibility”, in keeping with the spokesperson.
“Only later, after approaching the vehicles and scanning them, was it discovered that these were indeed rescue teams,” they added.
Probe checked out ‘three capturing incidents’
The IDF mentioned that about an hour earlier than the assault on the convoy, Israeli troops fired at what they “identified as a Hamas vehicle” and the forces “remained on high alert for further potential threats”.
Within the convoy incident, the IDF mentioned the troopers “opened fire on suspects emerging from a fire truck and ambulances very close to the area in which the troops were operating, after perceiving an immediate and tangible threat”.
“Supporting surveillance” had reported 5 automobiles approaching quickly and stopping close to the troops, with passengers shortly disembarking, in keeping with the IDF.
It mentioned the deputy battalion commander “assessed the vehicles as employed by Hamas forces, who arrived to assist the first vehicle’s passengers”, including that: “Under this impression and sense of threat, he ordered to open fire.”
In response to the IDF, six of the 15 killed have been “identified in a retrospective examination as Hamas terrorists”.
The IDF additionally mentioned there was a 3rd incident about quarter-hour later the place “the troops fired at a Palestinian UN vehicle due to operational errors in breach of regulations”.
“The troops’ commander initially reported the event, and additional details emerged later in the examination.”
‘Determination to crush automobiles was unsuitable’
At daybreak it was determined to “gather and cover the bodies to prevent further harm and clear the vehicles from the route in preparation for civilian evacuation”, mentioned the IDF assertion.
The physique removing and automobile crushing have been carried out by area commanders, in keeping with the navy.
The investigation concluded that eradicating the our bodies was cheap underneath the circumstances, however the resolution to crush the automobiles was unsuitable, mentioned the IDF, including that “in general there was no attempt to conceal the event”.
The probe additionally discovered that “the [gun]fire in the first two incidents resulted from an operational misunderstanding by the troops, who believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces. The third incident involved a breach of orders during a combat setting”.
