The Red Cross movement has expressed deep outrage following the deaths of eight Palestinian medics, six Civil Defence first responders, and a United Nations staff member, who were killed by Israeli forces in southern Gaza on March 23. The fatalities occurred when five ambulances, a fire truck, and a UN vehicle were struck "one by one" in the al-Hashashin area, according to a UN official. The bodies of the 15 victims were recovered from what was described as a "mass grave" on Sunday.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) confirmed that one medic remains missing, accusing Israel of intentionally targeting humanitarian workers. The IFRC, in a statement on Sunday, revealed that the eight bodies of the PRCS medics were retrieved after seven days of silence, with access to the area near Rafah denied.
The humanitarian workers were identified as Mostafa Khufaga, Saleh Muamer, Ezzedine Shaath, Mohammad Bahloul, Mohammed al-Heila, Ashraf Abu Labda, Raed al-Sharif, and Rifatt Radwan. Another ambulance officer, Assad al-Nassasra, is still missing.
The Israeli military claimed that its troops fired on vehicles "advancing suspiciously" without headlights or emergency signals, and stated that a Hamas operative, along with "eight other terrorists," were among those killed.
The IFRC's Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain, expressed heartbreak over the killings, emphasizing that these medics were humanitarian workers responding to the wounded and wearing emblems that should have protected them under International Humanitarian Law. He reaffirmed the clear rules: civilians and humanitarian workers must be protected, and health services must be shielded, even in conflict zones.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also condemned the killings, calling it appalling that these medics were targeted while performing their vital work. Jonathan Whittall, the head of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza, shared on X that UN staff had supported the recovery of the victims' bodies from the mass grave, marked by the emergency light of one of the crushed ambulances.
This tragic incident has sparked widespread condemnation and raised concerns over the safety of humanitarian workers in conflict zones.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)