Human Rights Watch calls for investigating attack on ambulance outside Gaza hospital as "possible war crime"
The nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation into the Israeli military's attack on an ambulance outside Gaza's biggest hospital last week as a "possible war crime."
"The Israeli military’s strike on a marked ambulance just outside of Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital on November 3, 2023, was apparently unlawful and should be investigated as a possible war crime," according to a HRW statement released on Tuesday.
The group, which reports on and investigates human rights abuses around the world, has further called on the investigation to be conducted by the United Nations Human Rights Council's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces said it had targeted the ambulance because it was being used by Hamas. “An IDF aircraft struck an ambulance that was identified by forces as being used by a Hamas terrorist cell in close proximity to their position in the battle zone,” the IDF said.
HRW, however, says it did not find evidence that the ambulance was used for military purposes after interviewing witnesses and verifying visuals of the damaged ambulance and its surrounding area.
"Should medical transport be misused, attacking forces must issue a warning to cease this misuse, and can only attack after such a warning goes unheeded," HRW added. "While the warning requirement must be strictly interpreted, there may be circumstances in which a warning is not required because of the immediate need for attacking forces to defend themselves."
CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment and has not immediately heard back. In previous statements, the Israeli military has maintained it is following international law and only striking legitimate military targets in the strip.
The attack on the ambulance, which was part of a medical convoy, killed at least 15 and wounded 60 others, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza.
Footage from the scene showed at least a dozen bloodied people strewn across the ground near an ambulance.
CNN's Andrew Carey contributed reporting to this post.
