By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel’s military confirmed Friday that it fired two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in the deadly drone strikes against aid workers in Gaza, which was condemned by crucial allies.
Monday’s attack on a convoy of the U.S.-based World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission.
The military said the officers responsible for the strike had mishandled critical information and violated the army’s rules of engagement.
Friday’s published findings of a retired general’s investigation came after accusations from the United States and others that Israel wasn’t doing enough to protect Gaza’s civilians and aid from its war against Hamas.
Palestinians, several aid groups, and other critics claim Israel fires “recklessly” at innocent people, but Israel says Hamas is using civilians as human shields.
“It’s a tragedy,” Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told media. “It’s a serious event that we are responsible for, and it shouldn’t have happened. And we will make sure that it won’t happen again,” he added.
The move at the height of the war seemed remarkable. Similar dismissals haven’t been reported within Hamas after the group misfired rockets that killed civilians or when its fighters massacred some 1,200 noncombatants, including raped women and children, on October 7 in Israel.
‘STEPS FORWARD’
WCK called the investigation and disciplinary actions “important steps forward” — but said more needed to be done. “Without systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies, and more grieving families,” the group said, adding that it appeals for an independent investigation.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed, saying that while Israel took responsibility, the U.S. would review the findings “to see not just what steps are being taken but the results.”
Military officials said that the investigators concluded that a colonel authorized the series of deadly drone strikes on the convoy based on one major’s observation — from grainy drone camera footage — that someone in the convoy was armed.
That observation turned out to be untrue, military officials said. Under the Israeli army’s rules of engagement, officers must have “more than one reason” for identifying someone as a target before they can be hit.
The army said the colonel and the major were dismissed, while three other officers were reprimanded, the most senior of whom was the head of the Southern Command.
The results of the investigation were turned over to the military’s advocate general, who will decide whether they or anyone else involved in the killings will receive more punishment or be prosecuted.
It came as WCK confirmed that British victims John Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team, were among those killed.
The others who died in the strike were the team’s leader, Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, along with Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25; US-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33; and Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, the group said.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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