Israeli military review into killing of Gaza aid workers finds ‘professional failures’

The Israeli military said on Sunday that a review into the killing of 15 emergency responders in Gaza last month found professional failures and violations of orders but no attempt to conceal the incident.

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The paramedics and emergency workers were shot dead on March 23 near the southern Gaza city of Rafah and buried in a shallow grave where their bodies were found a week later by officials from the UN and the Palestinian Red Crescent.

A commanding officer is to be reprimanded and a deputy commander dismissed, the military said.

“The examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident,” the military said in a statement.

“The examination determined that the 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,” it added.

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The military said the deputy commander had ordered troops to open fire on individuals emerging from vehicles that were later determined to be a fire truck and several ambulances.

  

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