Israel Admits Mistakes in Deadly Gaza Strike That Killed 15 Emergency Workers

Israel's army has admitted its troops made mistake when they opened fire on a group of emergency vehicles in southern Gaza on March 23, killing 15 aid workers, BBC reported.

The convoy included ambulances from the Palestinian Red Crescent, a UN vehicle, and a fire truck. They were heading to help injured people near Rafah when they came under fire. At first, Israel claimed the vehicles were moving without headlights and had not coordinated with the military, but video footage later showed the vehicles clearly had lights on and were marked.

One of the paramedics who died, Refat Radwan, filmed the scene on his phone. In the video, gunfire starts suddenly just before dawn as the vehicles stop. The footage also shows him praying as shots are fired and soldiers can be heard nearby.

The Israeli military now admits that the original account was wrong. Officials say soldiers had earlier targeted a car believed to carry Hamas fighters. When the ambulances arrived shortly afterward, aerial surveillance warned troops they were moving "suspiciously." Believing the emergency vehicles were a threat, soldiers opened fire even though none of the medics were armed.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) say six of the medics were linked to Hamas, but they have not provided any proof. A surviving paramedic denies that any of his co-workers were part of a militant group.

After the attack, the soldiers reportedly buried the bodies in sand to protect them from animals and later moved the vehicles to clear the road. The bodies remained buried for a week because international aid teams could not reach the area safely. When they did, they found Radwan’s phone with the recorded footage.

The Israeli army says it is carrying out a full investigation into what happened, but aid groups like the Red Crescent and other international organizations are demanding an independent investigation.

This incident comes as Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza. The latest wave of attacks resumed on March 18, following a failed ceasefire agreement. Since then, Gaza’s health ministry, which is run by Hamas, reports over 1,200 deaths. In total, more than 50,600 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to the same source.