Israel’s military has admitted to firing on ambulances in the Gaza Strip, labeling them as “suspicious vehicles”. The incident occurred last Sunday in Rafah, a city near the Egyptian border. According to the Israeli military, they were responding to what they believed was gunfire from Hamas-affiliated vehicles.
The Gaza civil defence agency reported that an ambulance and firefighting vehicle were damaged or destroyed, with six rescuers missing after being dispatched to respond to a crisis. A team leader’s body was later found in the rubble.
Hamas has condemned the incident as a war crime, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israeli airstrikes have killed hundreds of civilians since March 18th. Medical Aid for Palestinians and Doctors Without Borders have also expressed outrage over the killing of medical staff and civilians in Gaza.
The issue raises concerns about Israel’s claims that Hamas uses ambulances to carry out military operations, which are disputed by many international observers. Last year, Israeli forces admitted using an ambulance to infiltrate a refugee camp, highlighting the complexity of the situation.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/29/israel-admits-firing-at-ambulances-in-gaza-after-palestinians-say-rescuers-missing-in-rafah