Hajjah Umm Mohammed’s life was irrevocably changed when her son, Rifaat Radwan, was killed while fulfilling his duty as a paramedic. Rifaat, aged 23, was one of 15 emergency workers tragically shot dead by Israeli forces in southern Gaza last month. The incident occurred on March 23 when he was driving an ambulance as part of a convoy responding to an urgent call for help in the Rafah area.
Reflecting on the unimaginable loss, Umm Mohammed stated, “My heart and soul died when Rifaat was killed.” She recalls that the area where her son was working was designated as ‘green’, indicating it was safe for ambulances. Despite this, the Israeli military later claimed that the convoy approached them suspiciously in darkness, lacking headlights or flashing emergency lights. However, video footage recovered from Rifaat’s phone contradicted this narrative, showcasing that the ambulance lights were indeed on as they responded to assist the injured.
“Forgive me, mother… this is the path I chose to help people,” said Rifaat in the video, just moments before the gunfire erupted.
A family’s grief amidst conflict
Umm Mohammed expressed her disbelief, stating, “I never expected him to be killed.” Rifaat had always been passionate about humanitarian work, even aiding in the transportation of wounded individuals seeking medical care in Egypt. The day he died, he had been dispatched to the scene of an airstrike that had already claimed several lives. “I didn’t know he would be one of them,” she lamented.
It was a week before Rifaat’s body was located, along with those of his colleagues, buried in a shallow grave on March 30. Instead of celebrating Eid al-Fitr with her son, Umm Mohammed was left to retrieve his decomposed body from Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. “It was badly decomposed and they wouldn’t allow me to see it,” she recounted, mourning the loss of her son, who was a vital support for their family.
Controversy surrounding the incident
The Israeli military’s initial account prompted scrutiny following the discovery of the video evidence. An official later admitted that the previous claims regarding the convoy’s approach were erroneous. The military further alleged that some of the deceased were Hamas operatives but provided no proof to substantiate this accusation. In a recent statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) committed to conducting a thorough examination of the events surrounding the attack.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has called for an independent international investigation, labeling the killings as deliberate attacks amounting to war crimes. “We need justice for the victims. We need to ensure that all of those responsible are held to account. Without this, the crimes will continue to happen,” asserted PRCS spokeswoman Nebal Farsakh.
Survivor Munther Abed, a fellow paramedic, described the horror of the ambush, stating, “I dropped to the floor in the back of the vehicle and didn’t hear any sound from my colleagues except their death gasps.” He recounted his subsequent arrest by Israeli forces and the torture he endured during detention.
In light of this tragic incident, the PRCS emphasized that the area was not classified as a conflict zone, asserting that their personnel were engaged in humanitarian work. Preliminary reports indicated that the emergency workers suffered multiple gunshot wounds, reinforcing claims of a deliberate attack. As the situation continues to unfold, the IDF has promised a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
As the death toll in Gaza has surged to over 50,750 since the onset of conflict following the October 7 Hamas attacks, the implications of this tragic event echo the urgent need for accountability and protection of humanitarian workers in conflict zones.