UNITED NATIONS, Apr 01 (APP): The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. Tom Fletcher, Monday called for “justice and answers” after Israeli forces killed eight Palestinian medics, six civil defence first responders and a UN staff member in an attack in southern Gaza.
The Palestinian Red Crescent says the slain workers and their vehicles were clearly marked as medical and humanitarian personnel and accused Israeli troops of killing them “in cold blood.”
Israel has killed more than 100 Civil Defense workers and more than 1,000 health workers in the last 18 months, according to the U.N.
The UN aid coordination office’s (OCHA) top official in the Palestinian Occupied Territory, Jonathan Whittall, said that on the day of the attack, five ambulances, a fire truck – and a clearly marked UN vehicle which arrived following the initial assault – were all hit by Israeli fire, after which contact was lost with teams.
“One survivor said Israeli forces had killed both of the crew in his ambulance. For days, OCHA coordinated to reach the site but our access was only granted five days later,” Whittall said.
When UN staff then travelled to the area they encountered hundreds of civilians fleeing under Israeli fire.
“We witnessed a woman shot in the back of the head. When a young man tried to retrieve her, he too was shot. We were able to recover her body using our UN vehicle,” he added.
He said aid workers we were finally able to reach the site on Sunday, discovering “a devastating scene: ambulances, the UN vehicle, and fire truck had been crushed and partially buried. After hours of digging, we recovered one body – a civil defence worker beneath his fire truck.”
The Palestine Red Crescent Society – part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – expressed outrage on Sunday over the deaths, adding that a ninth staff member is still missing.
“These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people…They wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked. They should have returned to their families: they did not,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain.
Humanitarian law ‘could not be clearer’
“Even in the most complex conflict zones, there are rules,” he added. “These rules of International Humanitarian Law could not clearer – civilians must be protected; humanitarians must be protected. Health services must be protected.”
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on X Monday that another staffer from his agency had died in addition to the colleague’s body retrieved on Sunday, bringing the total killed to 280 killed since the violence erupted on 7 October 2023.
“Targeting or endangering emergency responders, journalists or humanitarian workers is a flagrant and severe disregard of international law,” he added, noting these killings had become “routine” in Gaza.
Israeli forces said the emergency responders had been fired on after their vehicles “advanced suspiciously”, according to news reports, adding that a Hamas operative had been killed along with “eight other terrorists”.
The attack occurred following the collapse of the fragile two-month ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas militants on 18 March. On Monday, Israel issued a new mass evacuation order for the whole of the Rafah region.
OCHA’s Jonathan Whittall reiterated on Sunday that first responders should never be a target.
“Today, on the first day of Eid, we returned and recovered the buried bodies…They were killed in their uniforms. Driving their clearly marked vehicles. Wearing their gloves. On their way to save lives. This should never have happened.”
The UN Humanitarian Affairs chief, Tom Fletcher, on Monday send condolences to the families of all who had been killed.
“They were killed by Israeli forces while trying to save lives. We demand answers and justice,” he said.
In Geneva, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said he strongly condemned the killing of Palestinian medics.
In a post on X, the WHO chief described the attack as “deplorable” and said that his organization is also “gravely concerned about the well-being” of Assad Al-Nassasra, another ambulance worker who is still missing.
“Under International Humanitarian Law, health workers must be protected at all times,” Tedros said.
“We mourn the deaths of these colleagues, and we urge for an immediate end to attacks on health and humanitarian workers. Resume the ceasefire.”
APP/ift