Video Shows Medics Were Targeted by Israel Despite Emergency Signals/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Newly surfaced phone video shows Palestinian medics using flashing emergency lights before being fatally shot by Israeli troops in Gaza. The footage contradicts Israeli claims that the vehicles lacked proper identification. Humanitarian groups are demanding an independent investigation into the deaths.
Gaza Medic Killings – Quick Looks
- 15 medics killed by Israeli forces on March 23 in Rafah, Gaza
- Phone video shows emergency lights active on Red Crescent and Civil Defense vehicles
- Footage contradicts Israeli claim that vehicles lacked emergency signals
- Shooting lasted over five minutes, killing medics from Red Crescent, Civil Defense, and a U.N. worker
- One survivor says he was beaten and interrogated after being dragged from an ambulance
- Israeli military bulldozed bodies and vehicles, later recovered by U.N. teams
- UN, PRCS, and rights groups demand accountability, say incident could amount to war crimes
- Israeli military says incident under review, while claiming the presence of Hamas militants
- U.N. official confirms victims were known humanitarian workers, not militants
Video Shows Medics Were Targeted by Israel Despite Emergency Signals
Deep Look
UNITED NATIONS — Shocking new phone footage appears to contradict Israeli claims regarding a March 23 incident in which 15 Palestinian medics and aid workers were killed by Israeli forces in Tel al-Sultan, Rafah, southern Gaza.
The six-minute video, recovered from the phone of one of the victims, shows clearly marked emergency vehicles with flashing lights pulling up to assist a previously attacked ambulance. Seconds later, a barrage of gunfire erupts as medics exit their vehicles to provide aid. The video ends with screams and a chilling final prayer from the man holding the phone.
“Forgive me, mother. This is the path I chose — to help people,” the man can be heard saying before the screen goes black.
Footage Disputes Official Account
The Israeli military had previously stated that its troops opened fire on vehicles “advancing suspiciously” without headlights or emergency lights, claiming the vehicles posed a threat.
However, the video and eyewitness accounts suggest otherwise. Multiple ambulances and a fire truck, all clearly marked and lit, are seen advancing slowly and calmly toward a wounded area. Within seconds of stopping, they come under heavy, sustained fire.
“All of a sudden… direct shooting at us,” said Munzer Abed, a surviving medic. “They killed my colleagues instantly.”
Survivors Detail Brutal Treatment
Abed, a 10-year Red Crescent veteran, said Israeli forces:
- Dragged him out of the ambulance
- Forced him to strip to his underwear
- Beat him with rifle butts
- Pressed a gun to his back and neck
Bodies Bulldozed, Video Confirms Location
Following the incident, Israeli troops used bulldozers to bury the bodies and vehicles, creating a mass grave. U.N. rescue crews recovered the remains a week later, and confirmed the location using visual markers also visible in the leaked video.
“They were buried in their uniforms, with their gloves still on,” said Jonathan Whittall of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Israel Claims Militants Were Present
In its defense, the Israeli military said it had also killed Hamas commander Mohammed Amin Shobaki and eight other militants in the same incident. However, none of the 15 medics identified match that name, and no additional bodies beyond the medical personnel were found.
The military has yet to release names of the supposed militants or clarify what happened to their bodies.
“These are paramedic crews that I personally have met before,” Whittall said, rejecting the notion that they were combatants.
Growing Calls for Independent Investigation
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society and multiple humanitarian organizations are demanding an independent investigation, citing previous incidents in which Israel failed to hold troops accountable.
“We don’t trust any of the army investigations,” said Younes Al-Khatib, head of the Red Crescent.
One medic, Assaad al-Nassasra, remains missing. Witnesses claim Israeli troops took him away blindfolded, and he has not been seen since.
Broader Implications for Humanitarian Aid
Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, over 150 emergency responders have been killed, according to the U.N. This includes:
- 8 from the Palestinian Red Crescent
- 6 from Civil Defense
- 1 U.N. staffer in this single incident alone
The military continues to target what it claims are Hamas operatives disguised in civilian roles, but international agencies say such claims often lack evidence and endanger vital humanitarian efforts.
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