Israeli Military Admits ‘Professional Failures’ in Gaza Incident That Killed 15 Medics
The Israeli military on Sunday announced the dismissal of a deputy commander and formal reprimand of another senior officer following a March 23 incident in which 15 emergency responders were killed in three separate shootings in southern Gaza.
A military review into the deadly incident, near the city of Rafah, identified “several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident.” The soldiers, from a special forces unit, allegedly mistakenly opened fire on what they believed was a Hamas vehicle but was in fact a clearly marked ambulance.
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Footage recovered from a deceased paramedic’s phone and published by the Palestinian Red Crescent showed ambulances and fire trucks with flashing lights being hit by gunfire. According to the Israel Defense Forces, the soldiers believed they were under imminent threat after an earlier encounter and misidentified the responders as combatants.
Major General Yoav Har-Even, who led the investigation, confirmed the incident was a mistake and not an attempt to conceal misconduct. The military said that while Hamas has previously used emergency vehicles to smuggle weapons, distinguishing between real responders and terrorists remains a critical and mandated protocol.
One of the paramedics detained during the incident remains in Israeli custody. The IDF claims six of the 15 killed responders were later identified as Hamas operatives—a charge Hamas has denied. The United Nations and Palestinian authorities continue to dispute the justification for the attack.
In response to the findings, the military said that “existing guidelines on the special caution required with regard to rescue forces and medical workers” would be clarified and reinforced.
