14 Gaza Rescuers Killed by Israeli Fire, UN Reports

A tragic incident in Rafah, Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of at least 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, including a United Nations employee, after Israeli forces opened fire on their clearly marked ambulances on March 23. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that the bodies were recovered from a mass grave, some showing signs of having been buried with their hands tied, raising serious concerns about the circumstances of their deaths. Israel's military acknowledged firing on what they described as 'suspicious' vehicles, which has been condemned by Hamas as a war crime. The Red Crescent has been vocal about the Israeli military's refusal to allow search operations for the missing workers and emphasized that the paramedics were performing humanitarian duties when they were targeted. This incident occurs amid heightened Israeli military action in Gaza, which has reportedly resulted in over 50,300 Palestinian deaths since October 2023. Human rights advocates have called for international accountability regarding the treatment of medical personnel in conflict zones.