Palestinian Red Crescent calls Israeli military investigation “insufficient” and demands accountability

The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC) has called for a “serious investigation” into the deaths of 15 aid workers killed in Gaza last month, criticising the Israeli military’s response as inadequate. This comes after Israel admitted to “professional failures” and reprimanded two officers for their role in the killings.

The aid workers, including medical staff and civil defence personnel, were killed during a rescue mission in the southern Gaza Strip on March 23. According to the Israeli military, members of a special forces unit mistakenly fired on clearly marked emergency vehicles, including ambulances and a fire truck. The military initially claimed the vehicles were unmarked, but later confirmed they were clearly identifiable as emergency services.

In the wake of the incident, the Israeli military took disciplinary measures, reprimanding one brigade commander and relieving the deputy battalion commander of his duties. Despite this, the PRC’s chairman, Younish Al-Khatib, has dismissed these measures as insufficient, likening them to the actions of a company managing an internal issue rather than addressing a serious crime. He emphasised that “when you kill 15 medical staff and civil defence personnel, these can’t be called ‘measures'”.

Al-Khatib further stated that the investigation by the Israeli military did not reflect the gravity of the situation, which has already resulted in the deaths of more than 400 Palestinian health and emergency workers, including 44 from the Red Crescent alone. He pointed out that such actions must be met with proper accountability and called for an independent international investigation.

The Israeli military’s investigation, headed by former Major General Yoav Har-Even, found that soldiers had failed to identify the emergency vehicles in the dark. The investigation acknowledged several professional failures and breaches of orders but did not offer concrete assurances of criminal charges against those involved. The military advocate general’s office may still pursue criminal action, though no formal steps have yet been taken.

Hamas has also condemned the military investigation, labelling it a “blatant attempt to evade full responsibility” for the killings. The group’s statement echoed the Red Crescent’s call for a more thorough and impartial investigation.

The incident has sparked global outrage, with numerous international organisations and governments demanding greater accountability from Israel. In response, the Israeli military has promised to implement measures to prevent future incidents, but the lack of significant consequences for those involved in this case continues to fuel calls for an independent inquiry.

For the PRC and many Palestinians, this investigation represents another instance of Israel’s broader disregard for the protection of healthcare workers and emergency personnel in conflict zones. Al-Khatib’s call for an international investigation underlines the widespread sense that Israel’s internal investigations are insufficient when it comes to ensuring accountability for such serious violations.

The Palestinian Red Crescent remains committed to its operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, continuing to provide emergency medical services despite the dangers. However, Al-Khatib’s comments reveal the ongoing frustration with the lack of proper oversight and accountability for incidents such as these.