THE killing of medical personnel in an emergency services’ convoy in Gaza last week has been condemned by the United Nations. It says that the convoy, of five ambulances, a fire appliance, and a UN vehicle, was struck by Israeli forces on Sunday 23 March. Details have been disputed by Israeli officials.
Fifteen bodies were recovered last weekend: eight medics working for the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), six civil-defence first responders, and a UN staff member are confirmed as among the dead. A ninth PRCS medic remains missing.
The PRCS has accused Israel of targeting medical staff. The Israeli military accuse nine of the dead of being Hamas militants.
The UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, said on Monday: “They were killed by Israeli forces while trying to save lives. We demand answers and justice.”
There was disagreement about the markings on the convoy. An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) statement said that “vehicles were identified advancing suspiciously toward IDF troops without headlights, or emergency signals, their movement was not co-ordinated in advance. Thus, IDF troops opened fire at the suspected vehicles.” But Mr Fletcher said that the vehicles were “well marked”.
The deaths, which followed last month’s breakdown of the ceasefire deal (News, 21 March), took a week to come to light because UN and Red Crescent staff were denied access to search for the missing staff members.
The head of the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OCHA OPT), Jonathan Whittall, said in a video from the scene of the attacks: “One by one, they were hit, they were struck. Their bodies were gathered and buried in this mass grave. It’s an absolute horror what has happened here . . . health-care workers should never be a target.”
On Wednesday, the Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced that the IDF intended to seize “large areas” of Gaza in an expanded military operation.
More strikes on Gaza reportedly killed a further 42 people on Wednesday morning.
