The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Association (IFRC) have said they are “enthussed” over the deaths of eight medical professionals who were killed while serving in Rafa, southern Gaza.
According to the IFRC, the nine-person ambulance team launched a fierce fire in Al Hashasin on March 23. Their bodies were recovered on Sunday after being denied access for a week. One Medic is still missing.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Association (PRCS) said their staff were found along with an organisation of six members of the Hamas-run civil defense agency in Gaza and one UN employee.
They didn’t say who fired the convoy – but Hamas denounced the Israeli Defense Forces for the attack. The BBC is seeking comment from the IDF.
In a statement on Sunday, the IFRC said eight bodies of the PRCS workers were recovered “after seven days of silence and access to the area of Rafa where they were last seen.”
The organization identified ambulance managers Mostafa Khufaga, Saleh Muamer, Ezzedine Shaath, and volunteers from First Responder Mohammad Bahloul, Mohammed al-Heila, Ashraf Abu Labda, Raed Al-Sharif and Rifatt Radwan to those killed.
Ambulance officer Assad al-Nassasra added that he was “still missing.”
“I am heartbroken. These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to the injured. They were humanitarians,” said Jagan Chapagan, Executive Director of IFRC.
“They were wearing emblems that should have been protected, and their ambulances were clearly marked.
“Even in the most complex conflict zones, there are rules. The rules of these international humanitarian law are not clear. Civilians must be protected. Humanitarians must be protected. Health services must be protected.”
The IDF has not publicly commented on the Red Cross and Red Crescent Moon statements.
AFP news agency reported on Saturday that Israeli forces confirmed fired in an ambulance in southern Gaza after identifying it as a “suspecting vehicle” last Sunday.
The Israeli forces “fired at Hamas vehicles and removed several Hamas terrorists,” the military said in a statement to the AFP.
“A few minutes later, the additional vehicles advanced suspiciously towards the army… the army fired at the suspicious vehicles, eliminating many Hamas and Islamic jihad terrorists.”
The military added, “After initial investigation, some of the suspicious vehicles were determined to be ambulances and fire trucks.”
He also said it was “repeated” by terrorist organizations on the Gaza Strip ambulance for terrorist purposes.
Senior Hamas’ official base Memnaim condemned the attack.
“The targeted killing of rescue personnel protected under international humanitarian law constitutes a serious violation of Geneva’s practices and war crimes,” he said.
Israel resumed its military attacks in Gaza on March 18 after the first phase of the ceasefire that began in January ended and negotiations on the second phase of the deal ended.
Hamaslan Health Ministry said more than 900 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza.
The war was triggered on October 7, 2023 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and returning 251 to Gaza as prisoners.
Israel responded with a massive military attack that killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, the Hamaslan Health Ministry in Gaza said.
