Ambulances transport Israeli troops

The 10 station's report today included interviews with several reserve soldiers whose faces were blocked out to protect their identity.

"I and other members of my unit saw soldiers with their weapons, bulletproof vests and helmets climbing into military ambulances," one of the reservists said.

"The use of ambulances is against the Geneva Convention which Israel has signed. Moreover, once ambulances are used for military objectives they become a legitimate target," said Doctor Rafi Waldman, a member of the organisation Doctors for Human Rights.

According to the report, the Israeli army began to use ambulances when there were no other armoured vehicles available.

The red Star of David Israel uses to mark ambulances should be covered up in such cases, but in many instances was not, the television station said.

"My commander complained to his superiors, but an officer explained to him that there was no choice as the ambulance is often the only vehicle available," another reservist said.

An Israeli army spokesman said such use of ambulances had ended and they were to be used only in emergencies and with the markings covered.

In the past, Israel has accused the Palestinians of using ambulances to transport fighters.

Last October Israeli authorities released footage of what they said was Palestinian militants loading a rocket launcher onto a United Nations ambulance.

They later had to admit the alleged weapons were actually stretchers.