Israel dismisses 2 officers over deadly drone strikes on aid workers in Gaza

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Fri Apr 5, 2024, 09:00 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: AP

Updated 8:37 AM EDT, April 5, 2024


JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Friday that it dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in drone strikes in Gaza that killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission, saying they had mishandled critical information and violated the army’s rules of engagement.

The findings of a retired general’s investigation into the Monday killings marked an embarrassing admission by Israel, which faces growing accusations from key allies, including the U.S., of not doing enough to protect Gaza’s civilians from its war with Hamas.

The findings are likely to bolster widespread skepticism over the Israeli military’s decision-making. Palestinians, aid groups and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Israeli forces of firing recklessly at civilians throughout the conflict — a charge Israel denies.

“It’s a tragedy,” the military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters. “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.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/israel-world-central-kitchen-gaza-aid-workers-69b6176362dafc8e4e2754b2342faa1d

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Article updated.

Previous article -

Updated 7:22 AM EDT, April 5, 2024


JERUSALEM (AP) -- The Israeli military said Friday that it dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in drone strikes in Gaza that killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission, saying they had mishandled critical information and violated the army's rules of engagement.

The findings of a retired general's investigation into the Monday killings marked an embarrassing admission by Israel, which faces growing accusations from key allies, including the U.S., of not doing enough to protect Gaza's civilians from its war with Hamas.

The findings are likely to renew skepticism over the Israeli military's decision-making. Palestinians, aid groups and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Israeli forces of firing recklessly at civilians throughout the conflict -- a charge Israel denies.

"It's a tragedy," the military's spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters. "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."

Original article -

Updated 6:32 AM EDT, April 5, 2024


TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- The Israeli military said Friday that it has dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in drone strikes in Gaza that killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission, saying they had mishandled critical information and violated the army's rules of engagement.

The findings of a retired general's investigation into the Monday killings marked an embarrassing admission by Israel, which faces growing accusations from key allies, including the U.S., of not doing enough to protect Gaza's civilians from its war with Hamas. The findings are likely to renew skepticism over the Israeli military's decision-making.

Palestinians, aid groups and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Israeli forces of firing recklessly at civilians throughout the conflict -- a charge Israel denies. "It's a tragedy," the military's spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, told reporters. "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."

With pressure mounting on Israel to hold itself accountable, Hagari and other officials late Thursday shared with reporters the results of the military's uncommonly speedy and detailed investigation.

[Roy Rolling]

1. A "George Floyd" event

The Israeli IDF will forever face scrutiny for the careless and brutal murder of civilian aid workers. It makes one question why 26,000 Palestinians civilians were “caught in the crossfire”.

It’s simple. War has always inflicted mass casualties and suffering on civilians, Netanyahu is calculating his actions are in a World War 2 theater of war where millions of deaths are within boundaries. Not so, Bibi. But proving him wrong may be distasteful—to be excessively polite.

[MOMFUDSKI]

2. Insult added to

injury. Stop insulting the world’s intelligence.

[3Hotdogs]

3. "...two, for the team."

The rest of the team, "Carry on."

[PatSeg]

8. Well three others WERE reprimanded

Who on earth do they think they are appeasing?

[NoMoreRepugs]

4. "Reprimand" - how noble of them. NOT.

[Basic LA]

5. Dismissed?

You mean two guys get to go home and don't have to be in the army anymore?
That sounds more like an incentive than a warning to others.
Let's only hope they have to appear someday with many many others when the real War Crime trials begin in the Hague.

[AllyCat]

6. Not good enough.

Have they dismissed any over all the killings of innocent Gazans?

Ceasefire. Now.

[SalamanderSleeps]

7. More bad cop, bad cop, bullshit.

Fuck Netanyahu and his fig leaf.

He's turning the Star of David into a six-pointed Swastika.

Does anyone in their right fucking mind think that the hostages, or what's left of them, are eating well?

Netanyahu apparently does not give an nth of a fuck about them either.

He is a war criminal that has some-fucking-how made Hamas's crimes turn pale in the press.

If we were to be able to get a bowl of rice and beans into the stomach of every Palestinian in Gaza many, many, would still die of starvation.

That's what famine is.

Nice work asshole.

Rot in Hell.

[Novara]

21. "He is a war criminal that has some-fucking-how made Hamas's crimes turn pale in the press."

That's what I've said all along. Hamas handed him the chance to show the world what he can be even more brutal than they are. He took the opportunity to go after Hamas to commit the genocide he always wanted against the Palestinian people. More than 30,000 of them. And now he's killing aid workers trying to keep people from starving.

It makes the US complicit because we continue to send them the weapons with which they are killing innocents and aid workers.

It also creates more hate towards Israel AND the US.

Ceasefire NOW.

[Ojerly]

9. I call Bullsh!t

The IDF is supposed to be the most elite military force in the world. Are they trying to say that in broad daylight they couldn't tell the convoy was friendly. Netanyahu and the old guard Israelites want to irradicate Palestine and the Palestinian people from their land. They don't care about the lives of the innocent.

[EX500rider]

16. " Are they trying to say that in broad daylight" happened at night

At 23:09 the first vehicle is struck, two minutes later the second, and at 23:13 the third final, fatal strike is launched.

[cstanleytech]

10. All that they have to really do is backdown on allowing basic foods, water, power and medicine and pull out.

With the provision Gaza that no one in HAMAS is allowed to be in government office and just wait it out. Cut everything else off then until both the hostages are freed and the ones responsible and participated in for the war that GAZA started are turned over to the International Court for trial and until that's done no one other than official international aide workers are permitted in or out.

[louis-t]

11. Gee, uh, you killed 8 people. You are dismissed.

[maxsolomon]

12. What would you have preferred?

Murder charges?

Do you think that is a realistic expectation given their assignment is literally to kill people driving in cars?

[EX500rider]

17. Yeah I can't think of any US friendly fire incidents that had any murder charges.

[PufPuf23]

22. How is the deliberate killing of 3 vehicles known by IDF to be aid workers friendly fire? nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. Israeli inquiry findings on aid worker killings lack credibility, charity says

While welcoming the report as a first step, WCK’s founder, the celebrity chef José Andrés, said: “The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza. It’s not enough to simply try to avoid further humanitarian deaths, which have now approached close to 200. All civilians need to be protected, and all innocent people in Gaza need to be fed and safe. And all hostages must be released.”

The charity’s chief executive, Erin Gore, said: “Their apologies for the outrageous killing of our colleagues represent cold comfort. It’s cold comfort for the victims’ families and WCK’s global family. Israel needs to take concrete steps to assure the safety of humanitarian aid workers. Our operations remain suspended.”

WCK’s remarks were echoed by the UN secretary general, António Guterres, who said fixing failings in Israel’s military procedures required “independent investigations” and meaningful and measurable changes on the ground.

Noting that 196 humanitarian workers had been killed during Israel’s campaign, Guterres said: “We want to know why.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/05/israeli-inquiry-blames-wck-aid-killings-on-grave-errors-by-military-personnel

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

14. Sadly it won't bring them back.

Those from World Kitchen.

[BuddhaGirl]

15. Dismissal? Reprimand?

Shameful!

[oasis]

18. Wink, wink.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

19. Oh.

"...an embarrassing admission by Israel..."

Embarrassing. How will they ever recover from the devastating embarrassment of murdering humanitarians in cold blood.

[Aussie105]

20. Missing details tell a lot.

1. What motivated the strikes?
Who did Israel think they were targeting in those 3 vehicles?

The US used drones to take out individual Taliban leaders while travelling in cars, and in most cases knew the names of those being targeted.

2. What technology was used?

Was it US 'defensive' weapons, or home grown? A single drone, or 3 of them?

3. Couple of rogue IDF guys get blamed.

No, there is a whole lot more people involved - ground intelligence gathering, drone operators, etc.
They all got it wrong?