The Israeli military has admitted to multiple failures in a deadly March operation in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of 15 rescue workers, including eight Red Crescent paramedics, six civil defence responders, and a UN staff member. The killings, which occurred during a rescue mission in southern Gaza on 23 March, sparked international outrage and renewed calls for war crimes investigations.
Following a probe, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that a deputy commander of the Golani Brigade would be dismissed for providing an “incomplete and inaccurate” report. Another senior officer will be officially censured for his broader responsibility in the operation. Despite these measures, the investigation does not recommend criminal charges or acknowledge any breach of the IDF’s code of ethics.
Initially, Israel claimed the ambulances were not marked with emergency signals. However, video evidence later contradicted that assertion, showing vehicles with flashing emergency lights. The IDF now attributes the attack to “operational misunderstandings” and “poor night visibility,” asserting that they mistook the vehicles for those used by Hamas militants. They maintain that six of the deceased were affiliated with Hamas — a claim disputed by the Red Crescent.
One of the most controversial elements was the IDF’s decision to crush the victims’ vehicles and remove the bodies the following morning. The military now acknowledges that this was wrong but denies it was an attempt to cover up the incident.
A UN official previously stated that the rescue workers were “killed one by one,” and there have been allegations of close-range targeting. While postmortem reports indicated gunshot and explosive injuries, no signs of restraint or execution were found, according to Gaza’s forensic pathologist.
The IDF concluded its statement with a general expression of regret, saying it “regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians.” However, rights groups continue to criticize Israel’s internal investigations as lacking accountability and transparency.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has accused Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, of war crimes related to the ongoing Gaza conflict. Israel, not a member of the ICC, rejects the court’s jurisdiction and has denounced the accusations as politically motivated.
