Throughout the seven-month war against Hamas, Israel has faced allegations of war crimes and misconduct from human rights groups and the International Criminal Court. The Israeli army has pledged to investigate these claims and has acknowledged misconduct in some cases, leading to dismissals of soldiers involved. However, admissions of guilt are rare, and many investigations remain ongoing. The Military Advocate General, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, stated that about 70 cases of alleged wrongdoing are being investigated, though details are scarce.
One high-profile case under investigation is the deadly strike on a tent camp in Rafah, which resulted in the deaths of at least 45 people, mostly women and children. The Israeli military’s preliminary investigation indicated that secondary explosions from Palestinian militants’ weapons in the area may have caused the destruction, rather than Israeli munitions. The investigation has been turned over to an independent fact-finding group for further review, and disciplinary measures will be taken if deemed necessary by the military advocate general.
In another case from February, witnesses reported that Israeli troops fired on a crowd of Palestinians waiting for aid in Gaza City, resulting in at least 104 deaths. The military’s investigation stated that troops opened fire on those who approached them and posed a threat, but did not directly address how people were killed. This incident is also being looked into by the fact-finding group. Additionally, conflicting claims surround an explosion at Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, with Israeli officials denying involvement and pointing to a misfired rocket from Islamic Jihad as the cause.
In January, an investigation was launched into the death of a Palestinian man who was fatally shot while walking with a group, one of whom was holding a white flag. Video footage showed the man being shot, allegedly by an Israeli tank, though the army claims the tank did not fire at the group. Another investigation was started in March after footage emerged of the bombing of five Palestinians near Khan Younis. The military stated that the investigation was turned over to an independent fact-finding group for review.
Famed Gaza surgeon Adnan al-Bursh died in an Israeli prison after being rounded up in an arrest raid in mid-April, according to the United Nations. Bursh, who led the orthopedic department at Al-Shifa Hospital and was reportedly in good health at the time of his arrest, showed signs of violence while in detention. Palestinian detainees have reported beatings and harsh interrogations while in Israeli custody, though Israel has denied these reports. Authorities have not released information on the cause of Bursh’s death, leaving it unclear who is conducting the investigation.
