IDF forces targeted a Hamas-operated surveillance camera near the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis this week, following its identification as a threat to troops operating in the area. The strike resulted in the deaths of several individuals, including terrorists.
An internal IDF investigation, reported Wednesday by i24NEWS, determined that the objective was not only the camera itself but also the operatives manning it. The strike was deliberately carried out during daylight hours to ensure precision in targeting the terrorists, rather than random civilians. Among those eliminated were terrorists involved in the October 7th massacre.
The investigation revealed that while the division had initially authorized the use of a kamikaze drone, four tank shells were ultimately fired during the operation.
According to the findings, one tank fired two shells but reported likely missing its target. A second tank then fired two additional rounds, unaware that a crowd had begun to gather in the area following the initial fire.
Golani Brigade troops on the ground wrongly assessed that the collateral damage from a tank shell filled with a hollow charge would be comparable to that expected from a kamikaze drone.
Among the dead were several Hamas operatives, two members of Islamic Jihad, and seven individuals whose ties to terror remain unclear. Not all of the Hamas operatives killed were engaged in active operations.
The inquiry also cited conflicting accounts regarding whether the Golani troops had been explicitly informed they were not authorized to use tank fire, or whether that was the field commander's understanding at the time.