The Israeli military has admitted that the deaths of 15 Palestinian paramedics and first responders on March 23, 2025, in Gaza resulted from professional negligence. According to a recently released investigative report, most of the victims, members of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) were shot dead, and their bodies were later buried in a mass grave.
The report states that the tragedy occurred due to violations of military protocols and the failure to properly assess and report the situation on the ground. The military claimed the soldiers believed they were responding to a legitimate threat.
According to the investigation, the troops opened fire on the medical personnel due to operational misjudgment. Initially, the Israeli army claimed that the targeted vehicles were suspicious. However, video footage later revealed that the ambulances were clearly marked and traveling in a single line with their lights on.
Doctors who performed the post-mortems confirmed that most of the medics were shot in the head or chest, while others sustained injuries from explosions.
The Israeli military acknowledged that in the first two incidents where PRCS vehicles came under fire, its soldiers misread the situation. The military further alleged that six of the deceased were later identified as Hamas operatives, although no evidence has been provided to support this claim.
The incident has drawn widespread international condemnation. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society has accused Israel of committing war crimes under international humanitarian law.
