On March 23, the Israeli military (IDF) hit a convoy of ambulances and emergency responders in Gaza. This horrible attack killed 15 people, including eight medics from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and a United Nations worker from Bulgaria. The PRCS crew was looking for a missing ambulance during the recent escalation in Rafah, southern Gaza. This particular ambulance had been fired at by the IDF during the assault.
The PRCS team quickly mobilized to help Prismo in the search for the missing ambulance. They were driven by the force of medic Munther Abed, who drove the effort. Now they were under heavy, direct gunfire from Israeli Special Forces troops. Abed described the traumatic ordeal, stressing how surprising the attack was.
The PRCS stated that one of its medics, Assad Al-Nsasrah, was missing after the attack. It took an organization three weeks to get a confirmation that the IDF had detained Al-Nsasrah. The lack of timely communication created a situation where many members of the humanitarian community were worried for his safety.
In response to this incident, the IDF later clarified that their soldiers opened fire only when they felt there was a “tangible threat.” This decision came after what they termed an “operational misunderstanding.” They had taken responsibility for the professional failures that played a role in allowing the tragic attack to occur.
In a controversial move, the IDF disposed of the bodies in a mass grave. They disposed of the vehicles that attacked them with impunity. This latest action has only deepened concerns about the transparency and accountability promised by the Administration for civilian casualties in military operations.
“The IDF regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians.” – The IDF
The attackers defended their actions by arguing that many of the targeted vehicles were driving in a menacing manner. They claimed that many of the other people they killed had connections to Hamas. These claims were not substantiated and have raised skepticism by many humanitarian agencies.
When news of the attack reached PRCS medic Munther Abed, he experienced a wave of relief. He joined back up with his colleagues, all of whom were touched by the tragedy just as severely. In a deeply affecting moment caught on camera, he had to wipe away his own tears. From there, he started hugging each team member individually.
The loss of life resulting from this incident has intensified scrutiny on the IDF’s conduct during military operations in civilian areas. The killing of eight PRCS medics as well as a UN policy advisor has led to widespread and urgent calls for full accountability. Activists are calling for better protections for humanitarian workers during times of conflict.
