Israeli Deputy Commander Dismissed After Deaths of 15 Palestinian Medics

An Israeli military investigation into the deaths of 15 Palestinian aid workers, including medics and a UN staffer, in Gaza has found 'professional failures' and resulted in the dismissal of a deputy commander, one of the harshest reprimands in the current conflict. The investigation revealed that the deputy commander mistakenly identified ambulances as belonging to Hamas militants due to poor night visibility, leading troops to open fire as the vehicles arrived with lights flashing and logos visible. Video evidence contradicted Israel's initial claim that the ambulances lacked emergency signals. After the shooting, soldiers bulldozed over the bodies and vehicles, burying them in a mass grave, which UN and rescue workers accessed only a week later. The Israeli probe found no evidence to support claims of execution or that the deceased were bound, while the Palestinian Red Crescent Society contends the men were 'targeted at close range.' This incident is part of a broader context in which hundreds of emergency workers have been killed, and the Israeli military rarely investigates such cases.