TEL AVIV: Two officers have been sacked in Israel after inquiry into the killing of seven aid workers in an air strike in Gaza this week found breaches of procedure and serious errors by the military.
The probe found Israeli forces believed mistakenly that they were targeting Hamas’ fighters when drone hit the three vehicles of the US based, World Central Kitchen aid group, also violating standard procedures.
The military in a statement said the strike on the aid vehicles is a serious mistake stemming from a failure because of mistaken identification, flaws in decision-making, and contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures.
Although the roofs of the vehicles of three aid workers had large WCK logos, retired Israeli general Yoav Har-Even, who is leading the inquiry, said the drone’s camera could not identify the vehicles in the dark.
According to the investigation report the victims, from Australia, Britain, North America, Poland and Palestinian were killed in three air strikes over four minutes by an Israeli drone as they ran for their lives between their vehicles.
It said the authorities had already dismissed a brigade chief of staff and a brigade fire support officer while senior officers including the general at the head of the Southern Command have been officially reprimanded.
Poland’s foreign ministry expressed its displeasure over happing of such incident. It sought a criminal inquiry into Monday’s events.
World Central Kitchen demands independent commission
World Central Kitchen on Friday also demanded an independent commission to investigate the killing of its seven aid workers in Gaza, saying the Israeli military cannot credibly investigate its own failure.
The aid group said its team was moving in a de-conflicted area in a convoy of two armored vehicles having WCK logo at the time of the attack.
The WCK said despite coordinating movements with the Israeli army, the convoy was targeted when it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food assistance brought to Gaza through sea route.
The aid workers’ deaths also outraged US President Joe Biden who asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take steps toward an immediate ceasefire in a tense phone call late Thursday.
Israel later announced it would allow temporary aid deliveries into north of Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of looming famine.
