|
CAIRO (AP) — The main Palestinian rescue service in Gaza on
Monday condemned Israel's probe into the killings of 15 medical
workers last month, calling it a “fabricated investigation.”
The army announced the results of its investigation on Sunday,
saying it had found “professional failures” and dismissing a
deputy commander in what it described as an accident.
A total of 15 people were killed in the March 23 incident —
including eight medics with the Palestinian Red Crescent
Society, six members of the Hamas government's Civil Defense
unit and a United Nations staffer. Troops bulldozed over the
bodies along with their mangled vehicles, burying them in a mass
grave. U.N. and rescue workers were only able to reach the site
a week later.
In a statement, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the
investigation underscores “the occupation's persistence in
shielding the truth from the world.”
It accused Israel of making “fallacious allegations” that
medical rescue teams are part of Hamas and asked why Israel
continues to detain a paramedic who survived the attack.
“We call on the international community to abstain from
validating the results of the occupation's fabricated
investigation,” it said.
Israel at first claimed the medics’ vehicles were acting
suspiciously and did not have emergency signals on when troops
opened fire. But the army later backtracked after cellphone
video recovered from one medic showed the ambulances had lights
flashing and logos visible as they pulled up to help another
ambulance that earlier came under fire.
The military said six of those killed were Hamas militants, but
has given little evidenced to support the claim.
The shootings outraged many in the international community, with
some calling the killings a war crime.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
