People who appear to be part of the Israeli military’s Golani Brigade were seen walking through Los Angeles General Medical Center, amid ongoing reporting by Annenberg Media about a program where USC trains Israeli military medical personnel using cadavers.
A photograph obtained Feb. 11 by Annenberg Media shows two people wearing hoodies touting a “Joint Training Exercise.” The hoodies show three emblems: USC’s Navy Trauma Training Center, Navy Medicine and what seemed to be a modified version of the Israeli military’s Golani Brigade.
Almost one year ago, the Israeli military said that particular brigade was involved in the massacre and subsequent mass burial of 15 unarmed Palestinian paramedics, one of whom was a staffer for the United Nations.
The recent photo, taken by a Keck physician who has previously shared confidential details with Annenberg Media, placed the people sporting this insignia only a hallway away from the center that trains Israeli military personnel using dead bodies in partnership with USC. The physician was granted anonymity to be able to share sensitive information freely without fear of retaliation by their employer.
Annenberg Media independently visited and confirmed the location of the original photo.
The Israeli insignia seems to be a composite of the brigade’s signature tree emblem and the Israeli Medical Corps’ sword wrapped in a snake. Although not publicized, the emblem appears to be a composite indicating a medical subdivision within the brigade.
Positioning medical personnel within combat units is common practice in the Israeli army, according to a press release from October. Academics have noted the change in policy as a response to the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. The Keck School of Medicine previously characterized the Israeli members of the program as “non-combatant surgeons, nurses and anesthesiologists.”
USC did not comment on the Golani Brigade’s involvement in the program.
On March 23, the Golani Reconnaissance Battalion — a subdivision of the Golani Brigade — opened fire on a convoy of ambulance and emergency vehicles in Rafah, massacring 15 Palestinian aid workers from multiple organizations. The United Nations said that the bodies of the paramedics were buried in a mass, unmarked grave by Golani Brigade troops in an effort to cover up the killings.
The Israeli military initially claimed it opened fire because the vehicles were “advancing suspiciously” but changed course after video footage was released that confirmed all the vehicles were clearly marked as ambulances and were using emergency lights. An internal investigation was conducted, which said that the Israeli military made “professional errors” and resulted in the dismissal of the deputy commander.
The report did not call for any criminal charges and claimed that there was no violation of their code of ethics. All three organizations that had paramedics killed, including the United Nations, criticized the report and said it was insufficient for accountability. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies said that the attacks were the “single most deadly attack” on Red Cross workers since 2017.
On Aug. 25, Golani Brigade troops conducted a double-tap strike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing at least 20 people including five journalists and four hospital staff, according to CNN. Staff at the hospital said the strike wounded multiple medical personnel inside operating rooms. An investigation by BBC Verify revealed that the hospital was struck at least four times by air strikes.
The Israeli military initially reported that troops from the Golani Brigade spotted a camera “positioned by Hamas” and did not provide any evidence to support this. The Associated Press found that the camera in question belonged to Hussam al-Masri — a photojournalist killed in the first strike on the hospital — and was positioned at a spot known to be a journalist gathering point.
In a statement to Annenberg Media, L.A. Health Services said it was not involved in the training exercise in any capacity and maintained that the organization solely trains U.S. licensed physicians, not foreign military personnel.
Dr. Zain Khalifeh, a resident physician at L.A. General and member of the hospital’s housestaff union, questioned the ethics of the joint program’s training and their continued presence at the hospital.
“We call on LAGMC to challenge USC and ensure that county-funded facilities, such as the Fresh Tissue Lab, are reserved for U.S.-licensed medical providers who serve LA County residents, rather than foreign military personnel engaged in genocide abroad,” Khalifeh said. “We demand transparency in the procurement and consent process for cadavers used at the NTTC.”
UC San Diego did not comment on the Golani Brigade’s involvement in the program and directed Annenberg Media to USC for questions regarding the training exercise.
USC did not respond to requests for comment.
The Navy did not respond to requests for comment.
The Israeli military did not respond to requests for comment.