A Palestinian paramedic, Munther Abed, has recounted the harrowing events surrounding the deaths of 15 of his colleagues in southern Gaza on March 23. Abed, a volunteer for the Palestinian Red Crescent, was responding to a call near Rafah when he was detained by Israeli soldiers. During his detention, he witnessed Israeli forces opening fire on emergency vehicles, which were later found stained with blood.
The 15 aid workers, part of the Palestinian Red Crescent, U.N., and Palestinian Civil Emergency Service, were discovered in a mass grave days later, prompting accusations from the Red Crescent and U.N. that they were deliberately targeted by Israeli troops. Abed, who was the sole survivor, said that after being detained, he saw other emergency vehicles approaching the soldiers’ position before being shot at.
He described how, as dawn broke, he saw the aftermath—open doors on the vehicles with blood on them. Later, he observed a bulldozer crushing the wrecked ambulances and burying them. Abed was held by Israeli forces for 15 hours, during which he was interrogated and beaten. He was released after they conducted checks, but he was left unaware of the fate of his colleagues, with one still missing.
The Israeli military has launched an investigation into the incident, stating that the shooting occurred when unmarked vehicles approached an Israeli position without prior coordination or lights. The military claims the vehicles were mistaken for those of Hamas militants. However, the Red Crescent and international organizations have contested this, emphasizing the marked nature of the emergency vehicles.
This tragic incident highlights the grave risks faced by humanitarian workers in conflict zones and underscores the urgent need for greater protection for aid workers in areas of active conflict.
