New evidence contradicts IOF claim on Gaza medics shootings
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The Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported that internal IOF materials contradict the Israeli army’s narrative on the Gaza medics massacre.
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Mourners carry the bodies of 8 Red Crescent emergency responders recovered in Rafah a week after an Israeli attack, Gaza Strip, on March 31, 2025 (AP)
New details have emerged regarding the killing of 15 Palestinian medics and rescue workers by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip last month, with proof purportedly contradicting the Israeli occupation forces' claim that soldiers did not fire indiscriminately at the medical personnel.
The UN’s humanitarian agency, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), and Gaza’s Civil Defense have firmly rejected the IOF report blaming “professional failures” for the killing of 15 Palestinian medics and rescue workers in Rafah last month.
Eight PRCS paramedics, six civil defense members, and one UNRWA employee were found with gunshot wounds to the head and torso, along with injuries caused by explosives, according to the doctor who performed autopsies on their bodies.
The victims were later discovered buried in a sandy mass grave by Israeli forces. After exhuming the bodies, the United Nations stated the workers appeared to have been “executed one by one.”
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday that its review of IOF materials from an internal investigation challenges the military’s assertion that its soldiers did not fire indiscriminately at Palestinian ambulances and a fire truck in the early hours of March 23.
According to Haaretz, soldiers fired at the vehicles continuously for three and a half minutes at close range, despite clear efforts by aid workers to identify themselves.
The family of Assad al-Nsasrah, one of the attack's two survivors, petitioned "Israel's" top court on Wednesday seeking details of his detention in "Israel".
Israeli authorities confirmed last week that Nsasrah was in custody, but under emergency war legislation, which stipulates that the whereabouts of detainees from Gaza can be kept secret and that they can be barred from meeting a lawyer for 45 days. Nsasrah will not be able to seek legal assistance until May 7.
UN, humanitarian groups demand accountability
Jonathan Whittall, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, criticized the investigation as insufficient. “A lack of real accountability undermines international law and makes the world a more dangerous place,” he warned. “Without accountability, we risk continuing to watch atrocities unfolding.”
Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the PRCS, condemned the report, stating, “The report is full of lies. It is invalid and unacceptable, as it justifies the killing and shifts responsibility to a personal error in the field command when the truth is quite different.” The PRCS has reiterated calls for an international investigation.
The IOF alleged disciplinary action, including the dismissal of the Golani Brigade’s deputy commander and a reprimand of another officer, and claimed the killings were due to “poor night visibility” and violations of orders.
