The Israeli army has “not anything to cover” and is “completely” investigating the deadly capturing of assist staff by means of its forces in Gaza, an Israeli executive spokesman has informed Sky Information.
David Mencer stated the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) opened hearth “from a distance” at a convoy that used to be “transferring suspiciously of their course” on 23 March.
Fifteen emergency staff had been killed within the incident close to the southern town of Rafah.
When requested by means of Sky’s Mark Austin at the Information Hour why Israel isn’t permitting an unbiased investigation into the capturing, Mr Mencer stated: “Israel isn’t frightened of anything else.
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17:53 ‘Israel is not afraid’
“It is not the primary time that Hamas has used ambulances to smuggle terrorists.
“It is a topic of public file.”
Requested whether or not the IDF had any proof any of the ones within the convoy had been Hamas terrorists ahead of they opened hearth, Mr Mencer answered: “Our investigation is happening presently. It’ll be very thorough… We now have not anything to cover by any means.”
When requested the query once more, Mr Mencer stated: “Emergency automobiles will have to be used to save lots of lives. Hamas has grew to become them into getaway vehicles for killers.”
It comes after the IDF stated on Monday that findings from a initial investigation discovered six of those that died had been “known as Hamas terrorists”.
The IDF additionally stated in a commentary: “All of the claims raised in regards to the incident might be tested throughout the mechanism and introduced in an in depth and thorough means for a call on easy methods to take care of the development.”
Photos on the weekend confirmed the instant the help staff got here underneath hearth, with ambulances and hearth insignia obviously visual and pink lighting fixtures flashing.
The Palestine Pink Crescent Society (PRCS) has demanded an unbiased investigation into the “atrocious” deaths of the help staff.
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0:59 IDF opens hearth on Gaza assist staff
Israel had previous claimed the capturing came about in a struggle zone, on the other hand, an investigation by means of Sky’s information and forensics unit discovered this used to be now not the case.
Requested concerning the findings, Mr Mencer stated: “There may be not anything I will say this is going to prejudice this investigation.
“The effects will pop out in a while. It is a thorough investigation by means of the IDF.”
Deported MPs row
Mr Mencer has additionally spoken to Sky Information an afternoon after one of the vital Labour MPs who used to be denied access and deported from Israel accused the state of “regulate and censorship”.
Abtisam Mohamed and fellow Labour MP Yuan Yang had been denied access to Israel after they arrived there on Saturday as a part of a parliamentary delegation to talk over with humanitarian assist tasks within the West Financial institution, they stated.
Mr Mencer claimed the MPs had sought after other folks to “boycott Israel”, including: “Boycotting this nation necessarily implies that you don’t want Israel to exist.”
He additionally accused the 2 MPs of accusing Israel of “false crimes” and “selling sanctions” towards the Israeli other folks.
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What have Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed stated about Israel?
Former journalist Ms Yang has most effective spoken as soon as within the Commons about Israel-Gaza since she turned into an MP final yr.
She referred to as at the executive to make sure reporters can paintings safely in Gaza after which posted on X about lots of her former Monetary Occasions colleagues being denied access to Gaza by means of Israel, as have all world journalists.
Ms Mohamed is Yemeni-Muslim and has been outspoken towards Israel in her position at the Overseas Affairs Committee, talking within the Commons 5 instances at the matter since turning into an MP final July.
The MP has described Israel’s movements in Gaza as “warfare crimes”, one thing Israel has rejected.
She additionally spearheaded a cross-party name from 61 MPs for a UK ban on Israeli items.
Mr Mencer added: “We will be able to all the time shield ourselves…. As a result of this nation is a democracy and we will be able to shield our values.”
In a statement directed at Mark Austin, he endured: “You could have succumbed to this woke, Islamist ideology – now we have now not.”
In a joint commentary when they had been deported, Ms Yang and Ms Mohamed stated they had been “astounded on the unparalleled step taken by means of the Israeli government”.
“It will be important that parliamentarians are in a position to witness, first-hand, the placement within the occupied Palestinian territory,” they stated.
Following the incident, Overseas Secretary David Lammy stated it used to be “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply regarding that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel had been detained and refused access by means of the Israeli government”.
