An Israeli investigation into the deaths of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza last month, caused by Israeli forces, revealed a series of serious mistakes. As a result, a deputy commander has been removed from his position.

The incident drew strong criticism from around the world, with some calling it a possible war crime. Under international humanitarian law, medical workers are supposed to be specially protected. The International Red Cross/Red Crescent said this was the deadliest attack on its staff in the past eight years. At first, Israel said the medics' vehicles didn’t have emergency lights on when their troops opened fire. But later, they changed their statement after a cellphone video from one of the medics proved otherwise. The military investigation showed that the deputy battalion commander wrongly believed all the ambulances belonged to Hamas. Video evidence confirmed that the ambulances had flashing lights and clear medical logos as they arrived to help another ambulance that had already been shot at.

The report said the commander, facing poor visibility at night, thought his troops were in danger when the ambulances quickly approached and medics rushed out to help. The military also explained that the flashing lights were harder to see through night-vision drones and goggles. The ambulances were immediately hit with gunfire that lasted more than five minutes, with brief pauses in between. Shortly after, soldiers opened fire on a UN car that had stopped at the scene. A mass grave was dug for the bodies. On the morning of March 23, troops conducting operations in Tel al-Sultan, a district in southern Gaza's Rafah city, killed eight Red Crescent workers, six Civil Defence workers, and a UN staff member. The bodies, along with the destroyed vehicles, were bulldozed into a mass grave. UN and rescue workers could only reach the site a week later.

The Israeli military stated that the soldiers buried the bodies to protect them from being eaten by stray dogs and coyotes until they could be retrieved. They also said the ambulances were moved to clear the route for civilian evacuations later that day. The investigation concluded that destroying the ambulances was a mistake, but there was no attempt to hide the shootings. Major General Yoav Har-Even, who leads military investigations, said the military informed international organisations later the same day and assisted rescue teams in finding the bodies. The head of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society claimed the men were shot at close range. Drone footage with night vision, shared by the military, shows that the soldiers were about 20 to 30 meters away from the ambulances. The investigation revealed that the paramedics were killed because of a misunderstanding during the operation by Israeli forces, and that shooting at the UN vehicle went against military orders."The deputy commander was the first to open fire, leading the rest of the soldiers to start shooting," Har-Even said.

The report stated that six of the people killed were Hamas militants, though their names were not provided. It also clarified that three other paramedics were initially wrongly identified as Hamas members. The Civil Defence organisation, which operates under the Hamas-run government, was involved. No paramedic was armed, and no weapons were found in any of the vehicles, according to Har-Even.

Israel accuses Hamas of using ambulances to hide fighters. Har-Even also mentioned that the deputy commander was dismissed for giving an inaccurate report to investigators about the incident in which Israeli troops fired on a UN vehicle. The statement concluded by saying that Israel's military regrets the harm caused to innocent civilians. One survivor was detained for questioning and is still in custody for further investigation. The military stated that soldiers who questioned the survivor initially thought he had identified himself as a Hamas member, but this was later proven to be incorrect. There has been no immediate response from the Red Crescent, Civil Defence, or the UN regarding the findings.

The findings have been handed over to the Military Advocate General, who will decide whether to file any civil charges. This body is independent, with oversight from Israel’s attorney general and the Supreme Court. There have been no external investigations into the killings so far. Israeli airstrikes have killed over 150 emergency responders from the Red Crescent and Civil Defence, most of whom were on duty, along with more than 1,000 health workers during the war, according to the UN. 

The Israeli military rarely looks into such incidents. Israel accuses Hamas of hiding fighters inside ambulances, emergency vehicles, and even in hospitals and other civilian buildings, arguing that this justifies their strikes on these locations. Medical staff largely reject these accusations. Israel also denies the war crimes charges brought by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Palestinians and international human rights groups have repeatedly claimed that Israel’s military does not properly investigate these actions or instead covers up the misconduct of its troops.

Har-Even stated that the Israeli military is currently looking into 421 incidents in Gaza during the war, with 51 of them already completed and sent to the Military Advocate General. There is no immediate information on how many investigations are related to potential wrongful deaths or how often the Military Advocate General has pressed criminal charges. The International Criminal Court (ICC), which is a court of last resort set up by the international community, has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant of war crimes. Israel, not being a member of the ICC, has consistently argued that its own legal system is capable of investigating the military, with Netanyahu also accusing the ICC of antisemitism.