Israel admits mistakes over medic killings in Gaza

The Israeli military has acknowledged errors in the killing of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza on March 23.

The incident occurred when a convoy consisting of Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances, a UN vehicle, and a fire truck from Gaza's Civil Defence was attacked near Rafah.

Initially, Israel claimed that the convoy was fired upon because it approached in the dark without headlights or flashing lights and that the movement of the vehicles had not been coordinated with the army in advance.

However, mobile phone footage recorded by one of the paramedics who lost their life revealed that the vehicles did have lights on while responding to a call to assist the wounded.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have stated that at least six of the medics were allegedly linked to Hamas, although they have not provided any proof.

They acknowledged, however, that the medics were unarmed when the soldiers opened fire.

A mobile video, initially shared by the New York Times, shows the vehicles arriving at the scene before the shooting starts unexpectedly, just before dawn.

The footage lasts for over five minutes, with one of the paramedics, Refat Radwan, heard reciting his final prayers as Israeli soldiers are heard approaching the vehicles.

An IDF official explained on Saturday that earlier, the soldiers had fired upon a vehicle containing three Hamas members.

When ambulances arrived at the scene, aerial surveillance reportedly alerted the soldiers on the ground to a suspicious convoy.

The soldiers believed they were under threat when the ambulances stopped near the Hamas vehicle and opened fire, despite there being no evidence that any of the emergency workers were armed.

Israel later admitted its initial report, claiming that the vehicles had approached without lights, was incorrect. This report had come from the soldiers on the ground.

The video clearly shows the vehicles were marked with emergency signs, and the medics were wearing reflective uniforms.

After the shooting, the bodies of the 15 dead medics were buried in sand to prevent them from being scavenged by animals.

The official added that the vehicles were moved and buried the next day to clear the road.

It took international agencies, including the UN, a week to arrange safe passage to the site and recover the bodies.

When the bodies were eventually discovered, Refat Radwan's phone was found, containing footage from the incident.

The Israeli official denied claims that the medics had been handcuffed before they died or executed at close range, countering some earlier reports.

A surviving paramedic, speaking to the BBC, affirmed that the ambulances had their lights on and denied that his colleagues had any links to militant groups.

The IDF has pledged to conduct a "thorough investigation" into the incident, promising to understand the full sequence of events and how the situation was handled.

Meanwhile, international organizations such as the Red Crescent have called for an independent investigation into the matter.

Following a brief ceasefire, Israel resumed aerial bombardments and ground offensives in Gaza on March 18, 2025, after negotiations for a second phase of the ceasefire stalled.

Over 1,200 people have been killed in Gaza since the resumption, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.