In the city of Deir al-Balah, located in the Gaza Strip, many came together on Monday to mourn the loss of 15 medics and emergency responders who were discovered deceased in a mass grave. These individuals, including their ambulances, were reportedly bulldozed over by Israeli military equipment. The Palestinian Red Crescent has accused Israeli forces of targeting these clearly marked humanitarian personnel, allegedly killing them without provocation. Meanwhile, the Israeli military maintains that they acted in response to allegedly suspicious vehicles advancing toward them without identification.
The deceased comprised eight members of the Red Crescent, six from Gaza’s Civil Defense team, and a staffer from UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. It is reported by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent that this event marks the deadliest attack on their workers in nearly a decade. Since the onset of the conflict in Gaza 18 months prior, the death toll includes over 100 Civil Defense workers and upwards of 1,000 healthcare staff as per United Nations records.
According to available information, these emergency responders went missing on March 23 after venturing into the Tel al-Sultan district in Rafah in response to an Israeli incursion. This location came under military focus as Israeli forces claimed there was militant activity by Hamas. Calls for evacuation were issued that day, citing the presence of Hamas fighters in the district. Nevertheless, alerts indicated that Palestinians in refuge within this area sustained hits, prompting a rescue attempt by emergency teams only for these responders to find themselves surrounded.
Statements from the United Nations, disclosed Sunday evening, revealed that initial responders were reportedly killed by Israeli forces on March 23. As subsequently dispatched teams attempted rescue operations, they too fell victim to attacks over several hours. Ensuring daylight conditions, they moved despite the hazards involved in their mission. The Israeli military, addressing the events on Sunday, explained that on March 23, their troops encountered what they described as suspicious vehicles lacking emergency identifiers.
Claiming an “initial assessment,” the military suggested their troops allegedly killed a prominent Hamas member, Mohammed Amin Shobaki, among others. Prior occurrences involved strikes on ambulances by the Israeli military based on concerns that militants were misusing them. Curiously, none of the rescued workers matched the identity of Shobaki, sparking questions on the military narrative and whether militants were indeed among the victims. Calls for clarification and identification of alleged militants have yet to receive a response from Israeli officials.
U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher issued demands on Monday for answers regarding attacks on safety and rescue workers, underscoring their deaths amidst lifesaving efforts. With resumption of hostilities as of March 18 following a brief ceasefire, consequential assaults have resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians, as noted by the Gaza Health Ministry. This figure, void of distinctions between civilians and combatants, nevertheless highlights a significant portion being women and children.
Charity groups and humanitarian entities report ongoing targeting of aid workers in recent offenses. A notable incident involved a World Central Kitchen worker losing their life during the distribution of meals, falling victim to an Israeli strike. Similarly, an attack on a U.N. compound brought further casualties among humanitarian staff, despite Israel’s denial of responsibility.
For several days, access to the grave site of the emergency teams remained barred by Israeli forces. Not until Wednesday did a U.N. convoy’s approach meet with resistance in the form of gunfire, a harrowing encounter compounding the challenges faced by humanitarian entities. Eventually, only on Sunday were teams able to reach the designated site after cooperation from Israeli forces indicated the plaintiffs’ resting place in Tel al-Sultan’s outskirts. Documented footage showed search efforts uncovering bodies clad in vibrant emergency vests, telling a grim tale of dedication and tragedy.
Marking the somber occasion, vast assemblages gathered outside Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital where the final respects for Red Crescent casualties were observed. Shrouded in emblematic white cloth, they journeyed towards their final resting places amidst prayers and mourning. The funeral processions dawdled somberly, marked by collective disbelief at the violent loss of those dedicated to preserving life.
In Geneva, Jagan Chapagain of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies voiced distress over the breach of humanitarian protections, advocating for the unassailable safety of humanitarian operatives. The ongoing escalation and its dreadful toll underscore an incessant call for peace alongside reckoning and responsibility for international humanitarian law violations.