The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is calling for an independent international investigation after 15 emergency responders including paramedics, civil defense workers, and a UN staffer were killed in southern Gaza, allegedly by Israeli forces.
The PRCS released harrowing video evidence from the phone of paramedic Rifaat Radwan, who was among those killed on March 23 when a convoy of clearly marked ambulances came under heavy fire. The 18-minute video, filmed in the final moments before his death, captures the convoy traveling with emergency lights flashing contradicting Israel’s initial claim that the vehicles were “suspicious” and moving without lights.
Video Shows What PRCS Calls a “War Crime”
The footage shows ambulances and a fire engine pulling over after spotting a van by the roadside. Moments later, gunfire erupts. Radwan can be heard reciting his final prayers as Israeli soldiers approach. His body, along with those of his colleagues, was later found in a shallow grave — discovered only after the UN secured safe passage into the area.
“This was not a mistake. It was a targeted, coordinated attack,” the Red Crescent said, labeling it a “fully fledged war crime”. The organization emphasized that the area was not declared a no-go zone by Israeli forces, and medics had followed all safety protocols.
PRCS President: “We Will Pursue Justice”
Speaking at a news conference in the occupied West Bank, PRCS President Dr. Younes al-Khatib denounced the Israeli military’s internal inquiry as untrustworthy and insisted on an international probe. “We will pursue justice for these 15 heroes who died saving lives,” he declared.
IDF Statement & Accusations
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged its initial version of events was “mistaken”, and a deeper investigation is underway. It claims six of the deceased were Hamas operatives, though no evidence has been publicly provided.
PRCS has strongly rejected those claims, asserting, “In 50 years, Israel has never proven any Red Crescent member carried or used weapons.”
Casualties and Context
The killings took place amid Israel’s ongoing military operation in Gaza, launched after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that left 1,200 people dead and over 250 taken hostage.
Since then, over 50,750 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, prompting growing international concern about the humanitarian cost of the conflict.