Mobile phone footage obtained by the New York Times is igniting controversy over the Israeli military's account of the fatal shootings of fifteen emergency workers in Gaza last month. The video, filmed by a paramedic from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), appears to show a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck, all equipped with headlights and emergency lights, being fired upon in the early hours of March 23rd.
Initial claims by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) suggested that soldiers acted upon identifying "suspicious" vehicles that were advancing without lights or warnings. However, the surviving paramedics refuted this assertion, stating that the ambulances were unmistakably labeled and fully illuminated. A spokesperson from the IDF has been contacted for clarification regarding the newly surfaced footage, which has reportedly been presented to the UN Security Council.
The footage captures the marked ambulances halting at the edge of a road with their lights still flashing, as well as emergency workers stepping out in reflective vests. It transitions to a chilling sequence wherein gunfire is audible for several minutes, with the individual filming reciting prayers. This film was discovered on the body of a deceased paramedic, alongside eight fellow medics, six Gaza Civil Defence workers, and one UN employee, whose remains were found buried in the sand several days after the incident.
Despite claiming that militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad were eliminated during the event, Israel has yet to proffer any evidence or explanation regarding the perceived threat to its soldiers. Concurrently, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar reinforced the military's stance, asserting that there was no indiscriminate assault on an ambulance during the engagement.
In a BBC interview, surviving paramedic Munther Abed, who emphasized the civilian nature of their operations, stated, "All crews are civilian. Our main duty is to offer ambulance services and save people's lives." This sentiment was echoed by the President of the PRCS, Dr. Younis Al-Khatib, at a recent UN session, where he recounted the last words of a fallen team member and called for an "independent and thorough investigation" into what he labeled a "horrendous crime."
As the situation develops, one paramedic remains unaccounted for following the disturbing events of March 23rd.
