In a tragic development that has drawn global condemnation, the Israeli military has acknowledged that its initial account of the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency responders in southern Gaza last month was incorrect. The victims, who included paramedics, civil defence workers, and a UN staff member, were found in a shallow grave a week after going missing on a rescue mission following Israeli airstrikes. The acknowledgement comes amid growing calls for an independent investigation into what has now become one of the deadliest attacks on humanitarian workers in recent years.
Contradictory video evidence emerges
The incident occurred on March 23 when emergency responders from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Palestinian Civil Defence teams were dispatched to treat casualties of an Israeli airstrike. Shortly after, contact with the team was lost. Initial Israeli military reports claimed their forces had fired at vehicles approaching in darkness without visible emergency lights or markings, suspecting them to be operated by militants from Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
However, this narrative was challenged when the PRCS released mobile phone footage recovered from one of the victims. The video showed emergency workers in official uniforms and clearly marked ambulances and fire trucks, with their emergency lights on, being shot at by Israeli soldiers. The footage directly contradicted the military’s initial version and led to widespread outrage from humanitarian organisations.
One survivor, brutal accounts
Seventeen people were part of the rescue convoy, including eight PRCS paramedics, six civil defence rescuers, and one UN staff member. One paramedic remains unaccounted for. The sole survivor, PRCS paramedic Munther Abed, confirmed that Israeli soldiers opened fire on vehicles that were visibly marked as emergency responders.
Further horror emerged when Palestinian health officials claimed that several of the victims had been executed. Some were found handcuffed, one was reportedly decapitated, and another had his legs bound. These claims were echoed by a Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson, adding disturbing details to an already devastating incident.
The Israeli military has now stated that its internal investigation is reviewing the video evidence and that the individual who provided the initial report “was mistaken.” The official added that they are working to understand how the error occurred. The UN and PRCS have reiterated their demand for an impartial and independent inquiry into the incident to determine accountability for the killings.
