The Palestine Red Crescent Society has urgently called for an independent international investigation into the fatal shooting of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza. This appeal follows the tragic incident where Israeli military forces fired upon a convoy of ambulances on March 23, which the organization has labeled a “fully fledged war crime.” The Society is insisting that those responsible for this act be held accountable for their actions.
In a recent disclosure, the Red Crescent released a video found on the phone of one of the paramedics who was killed in the incident. According to Israel’s military, an initial review suggested that the troops opened fire due to a perceived threat stemming from an earlier encounter in the vicinity. They also claimed that six individuals among the deceased were identified as Hamas terrorists, although no evidence has been presented to substantiate this assertion.
Survivors and conflicting narratives
A surviving paramedic has firmly denied any connection between his colleagues and armed groups. Initially, the Israeli military reported that its troops targeted “suspicious vehicles” operating without lights. However, following the release of the paramedic’s video, which clearly shows the convoy with its emergency lights activated, the military later conceded that their initial account was “mistaken.”
After a week, the bodies of the eight Red Crescent paramedics, along with six Civil Defence first responders and one UN staff member, were discovered in a shallow grave once the United Nations was able to secure safe access to the area.
The 18-minute footage, filmed by paramedic Rifaat Radwan, begins with him conversing with his colleague Asaad al-Nassasra as their ambulance navigates an unlit road at night. Shortly thereafter, they decide to join another ambulance in a convoy after discussing their journey with its driver. The video captures a fire engine and another ambulance—both displaying their flashing emergency lights—overtaking Radwan’s vehicle just moments before they encounter a van parked on the roadside.
As the emergency vehicles come to a stop, gunfire erupts as Radwan exits the vehicle. This barrage continues for over five minutes, during which Radwan is heard reciting his final prayers as the voices of Israeli soldiers draw near.
Calls for justice
The Red Crescent has stated that the footage evidences a sequence of deliberate attacks rather than a random occurrence. They assert that the first attack targeted an ambulance responding to casualties from a bombing in the al-Hashashin area. This was followed by a direct assault on the ambulance convoy, which adhered to safety protocols, and a subsequent attack on another ambulance dispatched to assist.
Furthermore, the organization emphasizes that the area had not been designated as a “red zone” by the Israeli military, indicating that no prior coordination was necessary for access. Preliminary forensic reports indicated that the medics sustained “multiple gunshot wounds to the upper parts of the bodies,” which the Society interprets as evidence of intentional killing.
Dr. Younes al-Khatib, president of the Red Crescent, called for an independent international inquiry during a press conference in the occupied West Bank. He remarked, “We’ll pursue this issue until the end. For us, these 15 men represent all those who were killed for the sake of saving lives, for the sake of humanity. And justice was not brought to them. We hope this time and through these 15 men, we can bring justice.”
Khatib dismissed the Israeli military’s inquiry as untrustworthy, citing a lack of confidence grounded in previous experiences. He also refuted claims made by the military that Hamas operatives were among those killed, asserting that they have never proven any accusations against the Red Crescent or its staff regarding the use of weapons.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the findings of the initial inquiry have been presented to Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Chief of Staff, who has ordered a more thorough investigation to be completed in the coming days. The military stated, “All the claims raised regarding the incident will be examined through the mechanism and presented in a detailed and thorough manner for a decision on how to handle the event.”
The backdrop of this incident is the ongoing military campaign initiated by Israel to dismantle Hamas following a cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken. Since then, reports from Hamas-run health services in Gaza indicate that over 50,750 individuals have lost their lives amid the ongoing conflict.