The Israeli military has admitted to “several professional failures” in connection with a deadly strike last month on medics in Rafah, Gaza, which killed 14 rescue workers and a United Nations staff member. A senior officer will be dismissed as a result of the internal investigation.

Although the military had already taken responsibility for the attack, its justification had changed multiple times, prompting widespread international criticism. Many legal experts described the incident as a potential war crime.

In a statement released on Sunday, nearly a month after the attack, the military concluded that troops misjudged the situation, believing they were under threat. The shooting at the UN vehicle, it said, constituted a direct violation of orders.

According to witness reports and verified media, Israeli forces fired on ambulances and a fire truck from the Palestine Red Crescent and Civil Defense, as well as the passing UN vehicle. The military claimed that poor night-time visibility caused the deputy commander on the ground to misidentify the vehicles.

Earlier statements from the military, which suggested the vehicles were approaching 'suspiciously' without lights or sirens, were later proven inaccurate—especially after a video from a paramedic’s phone showed clearly marked emergency vehicles with flashing lights stopped on the road before being hit.

Following the incident, Israeli soldiers reportedly buried the victims in a mass grave and destroyed the ambulances, fire truck, and UN vehicle by crushing them before burying them as well. While the military defended the burial of the bodies due to operational conditions, it admitted that crushing the vehicles was a mistake.

As a result of the inquiry, the brigade commander involved will be formally reprimanded, and the deputy battalion commander will be removed for his part in the flawed operation and for submitting a misleading report during the investigation.

The Israeli military has admitted to “several professional failures” in connection with a deadly strike last month on medics in Rafah, Gaza, which killed 14 rescue workers and a United Nations staff member. A senior officer will be dismissed as a result of the internal investigation.

Although the military had already taken responsibility for the attack, its justification had changed multiple times, prompting widespread international criticism. Many legal experts described the incident as a potential war crime.

In a statement released on Sunday, nearly a month after the attack, the military concluded that troops misjudged the situation, believing they were under threat. The shooting at the UN vehicle, it said, constituted a direct violation of orders.

According to witness reports and verified media, Israeli forces fired on ambulances and a fire truck from the Palestine Red Crescent and Civil Defense, as well as the passing UN vehicle. The military claimed that poor night-time visibility caused the deputy commander on the ground to misidentify the vehicles.

Earlier statements from the military, which suggested the vehicles were approaching 'suspiciously' without lights or sirens, were later proven inaccurate—especially after a video from a paramedic’s phone showed clearly marked emergency vehicles with flashing lights stopped on the road before being hit.

Following the incident, Israeli soldiers reportedly buried the victims in a mass grave and destroyed the ambulances, fire truck, and UN vehicle by crushing them before burying them as well. While the military defended the burial of the bodies due to operational conditions, it admitted that crushing the vehicles was a mistake.

As a result of the inquiry, the brigade commander involved will be formally reprimanded, and the deputy battalion commander will be removed for his part in the flawed operation and for submitting a misleading report during the investigation.