Despite international criticism, the White House stood firmly behind Israel, placing the blame squarely on Hamas. Hughes’ remarks came just hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Trump at the White House, and are expected to influence the tone of the upcoming discussions.
IDF Probe: Identification Gaps, Fire Under Perceived Threat
Alongside American support, the IDF conducted a preliminary investigation led by Southern Command Chief Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman. According to the probe, the incident began on Saturday, March 23, in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah. A Golani unit operating in the area had earlier fired at a Hamas police vehicle, and about 90 minutes later, a convoy of ambulances arrived at the scene.
The IDF stated that the soldiers felt threatened by the movement of medical personnel approaching the vehicle and opened fire, fearing an imminent attack. The unit commander reported not seeing any emergency lights or markings on the ambulances, though the army acknowledges these may have gone unnoticed due to “battlefield confusion.”
Initial Reporting Discrepancies
The ambulances were later covered with netting and their location was reported to UN representatives. However, due to operational conditions, bulldozers covered them with sand, and the bodies were recovered only days later. After identification efforts, six of the dead were confirmed to be Hamas operatives.
The IDF admitted there were gaps in the initial reporting but stressed: “There was no intentional deception.”
