Deadly Attack on Gaza First Responders Prompts UN to Demand Justice
On 23 March, a convoy of clearly marked emergency responders — including personnel from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Palestinian Civil Defence, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) — came under Israeli fire while attempting to rescue injured civilians in the Rafah region of southern Gaza. The incident, which involved direct strikes on ambulances, a fire truck, and a UN vehicle, was detailed in a post on social media by Jonathan Whittall, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Whittall reported that during the attack, five ambulances and a firetruck sustained damage, along with an identifiable UN vehicle that had arrived following the initial assault. Communication with the teams was lost shortly thereafter.
Access Delayed for Days
One survivor recounted that Israeli forces had killed both crew members in his ambulance. Despite OCHA’s persistent efforts to retrieve the bodies and assess the situation, it took five days to gain access to the area.
When UN personnel were finally able to reach the location, they encountered civilians fleeing while under fire. Whittall described witnessing a woman being shot in the head, followed by another individual who was gunned down while trying to retrieve her. The UN team recovered her body using their vehicle.
A Harrowing Discovery
When aid workers reached the scene on Sunday, they discovered a “devastating scene,” according to Whittall. The ambulances, UN vehicle, and fire truck had been crushed and partially buried. After laborious excavation, one body—a Palestinian civil defence worker—was pulled from beneath the fire truck.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society expressed outrage at the attack, noting that one team member remains unaccounted for. “These ambulance workers were on a mission to aid the wounded,” said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “They wore emblems that should have protected them. They should have returned to their families — but they did not.”
Violation of International Humanitarian Law
Chapagain emphasized that international humanitarian law mandates the protection of civilians and emergency personnel. “Even in the most complex conflict zones, there are rules. Civilians, humanitarians, and healthcare services must be protected,” he said.
The attack marks the deadliest incident involving Red Cross/Red Crescent staff since 2017.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed on Monday that another agency staff member had died, increasing the death toll of UNRWA staff to 280 since hostilities began on 7 October 2023. “Targeting or putting emergency responders, journalists, or humanitarian workers at risk is a blatant violation of international law,” said Lazzarini, calling the ongoing killings in Gaza “routine.”
Israeli military sources claimed that the targeted vehicles had behaved “suspiciously” and that a Hamas operative, along with eight others described as “terrorists,” were killed during the operation.
The assault occurred shortly after a tenuous two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed on 18 March. In the aftermath, Israel issued a new mass evacuation order for the Rafah area.
Call for Accountability
Whittall stated that first responders must never be considered targets. “On the first day of Eid, we returned and recovered the bodies. They were killed in uniform, driving clearly marked vehicles, wearing gloves — en route to save lives. This should never have happened,” he said.
UN Humanitarian Affairs chief Tom Fletcher extended condolences on Monday to the victims’ families and condemned the incident.
“They were killed by Israeli forces while trying to save lives. We demand answers and justice,” Fletcher stated emphatically.
The United Nations and international humanitarian organizations continue to call for an independent investigation into the attack and full accountability for those responsible.
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