Sun Apr 20 13:54:00 UTC 2025: ## Israeli Probe Finds “Professional Failures” in Killing of 15 Palestinian Medics
**Jerusalem, April 20, 2025** – An Israeli military investigation into the killing of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza last month has concluded that “professional failures” led to the deaths. The probe, released Sunday, resulted in the dismissal of a deputy battalion commander who mistakenly identified the ambulances as belonging to Hamas militants due to poor visibility.
The investigation contradicts Israel’s initial claim that the ambulances lacked emergency signals. Cell phone video evidence recovered from one of the medics shows the ambulances’ lights were flashing, directly contradicting the initial official account.
The incident, which occurred on March 23rd in Rafah, involved the killing of eight Red Crescent personnel, six Civil Defence workers, and a UN staffer. Israeli troops subsequently bulldozed the ambulances and bodies, burying them in a mass grave. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society alleges the medics were “targeted at close range.”
While the investigation acknowledged the decision to crush the ambulances was wrong and that a separate incident involving a UN vehicle fifteen minutes later was a breach of orders, it denied claims of execution or pre-emptive binding of the victims. The report attributed the killings to an “operational misunderstanding.”
Israel maintains that Hamas utilizes ambulances and hospitals to shield its fighters, justifying its actions. However, this claim is largely refuted by medical personnel. The investigation’s findings are likely to further fuel tensions in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
First Piper 