Israeli military sacks two officers over strikes on WCK aid convoy

The Israeli military says it has dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in an attack in central Gaza that killed seven aid workers, saying they had mishandled critical information and violated the army's rules of engagement.

The sacked army officers are a Brigadier Chief of Staff of the rank of Colonel and a Brigade Fire Support Officer of the rank of Major.

The military said on Friday that an internal investigation found its forces had mistakenly believed they were "targeting armed Hamas operatives".

The victims – an Australian, three Britons, a North American, a Palestinian and a Pole – were killed on Monday night in three air strikes over four minutes by an Israeli drone as they ran for their lives between their three vehicles, the military said.

“It’s a serious event that we are responsible for, and it shouldn’t have happened, and we will make sure that it won’t happen again,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters.

The United States-based charity World Central Kitchen (WCK), whose convoy was hit, said Israel's "apologies for the outrageous killing of our colleagues represent cold comfort", and it called for an independent investigation into the attack.

WCK CEO Erin Gore also said, "Israel needs to take concrete steps to assure the safety of humanitarian aid workers. Our operations remain suspended."