Israel’s military has admitted its troopers made errors over the killing of 15 emergency employees in southern Gaza on 23 March – however says a few of them have been linked to Hamas.
The convoy of Palestinian Purple Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances, a UN automotive and a hearth truck from Gaza’s Civil Defence got here below hearth close to Rafah.
Israel initially claimed troops opened hearth as a result of the convoy approached “suspiciously” in darkness with out headlights or flashing lights. Motion of the autos had not been beforehand co-ordinated or agreed with the military.
Cell phone footage, filmed by one of many paramedics who was killed, confirmed the autos did have lights on as they answered a name to assist wounded individuals.
The video, initially shared by the New York Occasions, reveals the autos pulling up on the highway when, with out warning, capturing begins simply earlier than daybreak.
The footage continues for greater than 5 minutes, with the paramedic, named as Refat Radwan, heard saying his final prayers earlier than the voices of Israeli troopers are heard approaching the autos.
An Israel Protection Forces (IDF) official briefed journalists on Saturday night, saying the troopers had earlier fired on a automotive containing three Hamas members.
When the ambulances responded and approached the realm, aerial surveillance screens knowledgeable the troopers on the bottom of the convoy “advancing suspiciously”.
When the ambulances stopped beside the Hamas automotive, the troopers assumed they have been below menace and opened hearth, regardless of no proof any of the emergency group was armed.
Israel has admitted its earlier account claiming the autos approached with out lights was inaccurate, attributing the report back to the troops concerned.
The video footage reveals the autos have been clearly marked and the paramedics wore reflective hi-vis uniform.
The troopers buried the our bodies of the 15 lifeless employees in sand to guard them from wild animals, the official stated, claiming the autos have been moved and buried the next day to clear the highway.
They weren’t uncovered till every week after the incident as a result of worldwide companies, together with the UN, couldn’t organise secure passage to the realm or find the spot.
When an assist group discovered the our bodies in addition they found Refat Radwan’s cell phone containing footage of the incident.
The IDF insists not less than six of the medics have been linked to Hamas – however has to this point supplied no proof. It admits they have been unarmed when the troopers opened hearth.
The army official denied any of the medics have been handcuffed earlier than they died and stated they weren’t executed at shut vary, as some reviews had advised.
Earlier this week, a surviving paramedic informed the BBC the ambulances had their lights on and denied his colleagues have been linked with any militant group.
The IDF promised a “thorough examination” of the incident, saying it might “perceive the sequence of occasions and the dealing with of the state of affairs”.
The Purple Crescent and plenty of different worldwide organisations are calling for an unbiased investigation.