Late on Thursday night, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) held a meeting for a group of international journalists in Tel Aviv to present the results of their initial inquiry into the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza.
Retired Maj Gen Yoav Har-Even explained how the IDF’s drone operators mistakenly targeted an aid worker carrying a bag, believing him to be a gunman. This led to a series of tragic events where the aid workers’ vehicles were hit by missiles, resulting in their deaths.
The IDF admitted that the army unit involved had not followed proper coordination procedures with the charity, World Central Kitchen, and were unaware that the vehicles belonged to the organization. The three air strikes were found to be in violation of the army’s own procedures.
The investigation findings have been passed to the Military Advocate General to determine if there was any criminal conduct. In response to the incident, the IDF has taken disciplinary action, including sacking the major in charge of fire support and reprimanding several other officers.
The aid workers were overseeing the distribution of food aid in Gaza when the tragic events unfolded. The IDF claimed they mistook the aid workers for Hamas militants due to a series of misidentifications and miscommunications.
The IDF’s conclusions highlighted three major failings, including the lack of distribution of the coordination plan, the unjustified targeting of the vehicles, and the continuation of firing after the first missile strike.
The incident has sparked outrage and calls for accountability, with the international community closely monitoring the developments in this tragic case.