At least 14 bodies have been recovered in southern Gaza, including the bodies of eight medics, a week after Israeli soldiers opened fire on ambulances. The recovery followed seven days of silence and a denial of access to the area in Rafah, where the victims were last seen.
The bodies of the eight medics were found alongside six members of Gaza’s civil defense agency and one U.N. agency employee, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The group posted an update on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, confirming the discovery. One medic is still missing, the PRCS said.
International Outrage Over Attack on Medics
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) expressed outrage over the attack, with the IFRC Secretary General, Jagan Chapagain, saying: “When will this stop?”
Chapagain added, “I am heartbroken. These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people. They were humanitarians. They wore emblems that should have protected them. Their ambulances were clearly marked. They should have returned to their families; they did not.“
The IFRC called on all parties to stop the killing, emphasizing that under International Humanitarian Law, civilians, humanitarians, and health services must be protected.
The Attack and Israel’s Response
Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to increase military action against Hamas, as Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza after a two-month ceasefire. The Israeli military acknowledged opening fire on ambulances, stating that its forces targeted Hamas vehicles, eliminating several Hamas terrorists. The military said “additional vehicles advanced suspiciously” toward the troops, prompting them to fire on those vehicles.
The IFRC’s Call for Protection of Humanitarian Workers
The IFRC stated that the attack on Rafah last week was the deadliest attack on its colleagues anywhere in the world since 2017. The number of PRCS volunteers and staff killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023 now stands at 30.
As the violence continues, Gaza’s health ministry reported that 921 people have been killed in Palestinian territory since Israel resumed large-scale strikes.
