An Israeli inquiry into the killing of seven aid workers in an air strike in Gaza this week found serious errors and breaches of procedure by the military, with the result that two officers have been dismissed and senior commanders formally reprimanded.
The inquiry found Israeli forces mistakenly believed they were attacking Hamas gunmen when drone strikes hit the three vehicles of the World Central Kitchen aid group, but that standard procedures had been violated.
“The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures,” the military said in a statement issued on Friday.
It said it had dismissed a brigade chief of staff with the rank of colonel and a brigade fire support officer with the rank of major, and issued formal reprimands to senior officers including the general at the head of the Southern Command.
The killing of the seven aid workers, who included citizens of Britain, Australia and Poland, a dual U.S. Canadian national and a Palestinian colleague, triggered global outrage this week.
According to aid agency, the convoy was hit while leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, “where the team had unloaded more than 100 tonnes of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route”.
The convoy was made up of three vehicles, including two that were armoured, which clearly displayed the charity’s logo.
The United Nations has said that at least 180 humanitarian workers have been killed in the war so far. The situation is dire in northern Gaza with the UN saying that the population is on the brink of starvation. Recently, the International Court of Justice in The Hague had ordered Israel to take all the necessary and effective action to ensure basic food supplies arrive without delay to the Palestinian population in Gaza.
With inputs from Reuters
