From the Liveblog of
Friday, April 5, 2024
IDF: 2 senior officers will be fired for involvement in deadly WCK strike on Gaza aid convoy
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Two senior officers will be removed from their roles and several other top commanders in the Israel Defense Forces will be formally censured for their involvement in a deadly drone strike against a group of aid workers with the World Central Kitchen organization in the central Gaza Strip earlier this week, the military says.
The investigation into the incident at around midnight between Monday and Tuesday was carried out by the General Staff Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism, an independent military body responsible for investigating unusual incidents amid the war.
The probe found that the strike was ordered against the convoy of WCK vehicles after officers suspected they carried Hamas gunmen, despite a low level of confidence. The officers did not identify the vehicles as belonging to WCK when the strike was ordered, according to the investigation.
The findings were presented to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi yesterday by the head of the mechanism, Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Har-Even, as well as to WCK and ambassadors of countries whose citizens were killed in the strike.
Halevi ordered the removal of Col. (res.) Nochi Mendel, the chief of staff of the Nahal Infantry Brigade amid the war, and the brigade’s firepower coordination officer — who holds the rank of major — over their involvement in ordering the strike.
Additionally, Halevi reprimanded the commander of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, for his “overall responsibility for the incident,” as well as the commander of the 162nd Division, Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen, and the commander of the Nahal Brigade, Col. Yair Zukerman.
According to the investigation, IDF troops identified one gunman on top of one of the WCK trucks that had arrived at a warehouse to unload a shipment of aid that had arrived earlier by sea. The troops also believed there was a second gunman in the area.
Later, several vehicles left the warehouse where the aid was unloaded, and one of the commanders mistakenly believed that the armed men seen earlier were in the escort vehicles and that they were Hamas terrorists, the IDF probe says.
The IDF says the troops did not identify the escort vehicles as being associated with WCK, and as they believed they were carrying Hamas gunmen, airstrikes were carried out against three of the cars, leading to the deaths of seven WCK workers.
“The attack on the three vehicles was carried out in serious violation of the relevant orders and instructions,” the IDF says.
The IDF says the findings of the investigation show that the incident “could have been prevented, and at the same time, those who approved the attack were convinced that they were attacking armed Hamas operatives and not WCK members.”
“The attack on the aid vehicles is a serious mistake, which stemmed from a serious failure, as a result of wrong identification, a mistake in decision-making and an attack contrary to the orders and open-fire regulations,” the IDF says.
The IDF says it views the incident “that claimed the lives of seven innocent humanitarian aid workers” with severity.
“We express our deep sorrow for the loss, and share in the grief of the families and the WCK organization,” the IDF says, adding that the “vital humanitarian activity of the international aid organizations” is of “utmost importance.”
“We will continue to work to coordinate and assist their activities, while ensuring their safety and safeguarding their lives,” the IDF continues.
“The IDF once again emphasizes its commitment to uncompromising fighting against the Hamas organization, alongside upholding the values of the IDF, the laws of war and avoiding harming innocents.
“The IDF will learn the lessons of the incident, and will implement the lessons,” it adds.
Following the investigation, the IDF has decided to brand aid vehicles with special stickers that are visible with thermal cameras. The WCK vehicle had a sticker of the organization’s logo, although it was not visible to IDF drones at night.
