Israeli Probe Faults Rafah Aid Worker Shooting

An Israeli military investigation into the March 23 killing of 15 Palestinian medics and aid workers in Rafah, Gaza, found that professional failures, breaches of orders, and poor communication led to troops mistakenly firing on ambulances and a fire truck. The deputy commander who ordered the gunfire, citing poor night visibility, will be dismissed, and a brigade commander will be reprimanded. Initial claims that the vehicles lacked emergency signals were contradicted by video showing marked ambulances with flashing lights. The investigation found no evidence that the victims were armed or executed and acknowledged failures in identifying the vehicles and reporting the incident. The bodies were buried in a mass grave and only recovered a week later by UN and Red Crescent teams. The Israeli military expressed regret and stated that engagement protocols near rescue forces have been clarified.