At least 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, including one UN employee, were killed by Israeli forces eight days ago in southern Gaza, the United Nations has confirmed.
The victims, including eight from the Red Crescent ambulance service, six from civil defense, and one UN employee, were on a mission to rescue colleagues who had been shot at earlier in the day. Their clearly marked vehicles came under heavy Israeli fire in Rafah city’s Tel al-Sultan district.
According to the UN humanitarian affairs office (Ocha), the paramedics and civil defense workers were “hit, they were struck” as they arrived at the scene. Their bodies were gathered and buried in a mass grave.
“This should never happen. Healthcare workers should never be a target,” said Jonathan Whittall, head of Ocha in Palestine. The incident was the single most deadly attack on Red Cross or Red Crescent workers since 2017.
Israel’s military has claimed that its troops opened fire on vehicles “advancing suspiciously toward IDF troops without headlights or emergency signals”. However, the Palestinian Red Crescent has disputed this account, saying that the area was considered safe and movement there was normal, requiring no coordination.
The incident is part of a broader crisis in Gaza, where at least 1,060 healthcare workers have been killed since Israel launched its offensive in 2023. The United Nations is reducing its international staff in Gaza by a third due to staff safety concerns.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/31/israel-killed-15-palestinian-paramedics-and-rescue-workers-one-by-one-says-un