Throughout the seven-month war against Hamas, Israel has made promises to investigate various deadly events in which its military forces may have been involved in wrongdoing. This comes in response to mounting claims, from human rights groups and the International Criminal Court, that Israel’s leaders are committing war crimes in Gaza. One of the cases that received significant attention was an attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy that resulted in the deaths of five foreign aid workers. The Israeli army published its findings promptly, admitted misconduct, and dismissed two soldiers. However, there are other ongoing investigations, with instances of guilt being rare.
Israel’s Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, revealed that the military is currently looking into about 70 cases of alleged wrongdoing. Specific details regarding these investigations were not disclosed, and the military has only provided responses to queries about certain probes. In one high-profile case, a deadly strike on a tent camp in Rafah, Gaza, which killed at least 45 people, is under investigation. The Israeli military initially stated that the source of the fire was secondary explosions caused by Palestinian militants’ weapons in the area. Hamas, however, dismissed this explanation, claiming that Israel intended to harm civilians and is deceiving the world.
In an incident in February, Israeli troops fired on a crowd of Palestinians who were waiting for aid in Gaza City, resulting in the deaths of at least 104 people. The military’s initial investigation indicated that the troops fired at those who approached them and posed a threat, but it did not directly address how the victims were killed. Similarly, in October, an explosion at Al-Ahli hospital led to conflicting claims about the cause. Israeli officials stated that a misfired rocket from Islamic Jihad was responsible, while other reports point to an Israeli airstrike as the cause. There is ongoing uncertainty regarding what actually happened in this incident.
In January, the Israeli government began an investigation into the death of a Palestinian man who was fatally shot while walking with four others. Video footage showed one of the men holding a white flag, while the others had their hands in the air. Despite this, the army concluded that the tank positioned nearby did not fire at the men, and it was unclear whether the man was killed by Israeli fire. Another case in March involved the bombing of five Palestinians near Khan Younis, which resulted in their deaths. The investigation into this incident has been turned over to an independent fact-finding group.
In a tragic turn of events, famed Gaza surgeon Adnan al-Bursh died in an Israeli prison after being arrested during a raid on Al Awda hospital. Reports from those who saw him in detention indicated signs of violence. Palestinian detainees have reported harsh treatment while in Israeli custody, with beatings and neglect being common. Bursh, who was reportedly in good health at the time of his arrest, eventually died in prison, although the cause of death remains unknown. Authorities have provided no information on the investigation into Bursh’s death, leaving questions surrounding the circumstances of his passing.
