Rafah, Gaza Strip – A chilling account from a Palestinian paramedic has emerged following a devastating incident last month in southern Gaza, where 15 emergency workers were killed in what witnesses describe as a targeted assault by Israeli forces. Munther Abed, a volunteer with the Palestinian Red Crescent, survived the March 23 ordeal near Rafah, close to the Egyptian border, and has provided a firsthand narrative of the chaos that unfolded at dawn.
Abed, speaking to Reuters from his home in Khan Younis, recalled responding to a distress call alongside two colleagues after an airstrike struck the Al-Hashasheen area. “We moved right away,” he said. “As soon as we arrived, we came under fire and they detained us.” According to Abed, Israeli soldiers opened fire almost immediately, detaining him while chaos erupted around him. He lost track of his two colleagues amid the gunfire and confusion.
From his position near the soldiers, Abed witnessed additional emergency vehicles—belonging to the Palestinian Civil Emergency service—approaching the scene. “The soldiers began shooting at the vehicles,” he recounted. “They fired heavily. I felt as if the bullets were hitting me personally.” Unable to see the fate of those inside the vehicles due to the darkness, Abed’s description paints a harrowing picture of the incident.
Days later, Red Crescent and United Nations officials uncovered a mass grave containing the bodies of the 15 medics and aid workers, accusing Israeli troops of deliberately targeting the group. One worker remains unaccounted for, deepening the tragedy. The Palestinian Red Crescent has hailed Abed as “the lone survivor” of the attack.
The Israeli military, however, offers a conflicting account. It claims the incident occurred when unmarked vehicles, lacking lights or prior coordination, approached a military position under suspicious circumstances. The military alleges that the vehicles carried Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants disguised with Red Crescent markings, and that its soldiers neutralized the threat. An investigation has been launched to examine the events.
The deaths have sparked outrage among humanitarian organizations, with the Red Crescent and U.N. condemning the killings as a violation of international protections for emergency workers. For Abed, the trauma lingers. “It was dark, and I couldn’t see what happened to the people,” he said, his voice heavy with the weight of survival. As investigations proceed, the incident underscores the perilous conditions faced by medics in the conflict zone.Survivor Recounts Deadly Attack on Medics in Southern Gaza
Rafah, Gaza Strip – A chilling account from a Palestinian paramedic has emerged following a devastating incident last month in southern Gaza, where 15 emergency workers were killed in what witnesses describe as a targeted assault by Israeli forces. Munther Abed, a volunteer with the Palestinian Red Crescent, survived the March 23 ordeal near Rafah, close to the Egyptian border, and has provided a firsthand narrative of the chaos that unfolded at dawn.
Abed, speaking to Reuters from his home in Khan Younis, recalled responding to a distress call alongside two colleagues after an airstrike struck the Al-Hashasheen area. “We moved right away,” he said. “As soon as we arrived, we came under fire and they detained us.” According to Abed, Israeli soldiers opened fire almost immediately, detaining him while chaos erupted around him. He lost track of his two colleagues amid the gunfire and confusion.
From his position near the soldiers, Abed witnessed additional emergency vehicles—belonging to the Palestinian Civil Emergency service—approaching the scene. “The soldiers began shooting at the vehicles,” he recounted. “They fired heavily. I felt as if the bullets were hitting me personally.” Unable to see the fate of those inside the vehicles due to the darkness, Abed’s description paints a harrowing picture of the incident.
Days later, Red Crescent and United Nations officials uncovered a mass grave containing the bodies of the 15 medics and aid workers, accusing Israeli troops of deliberately targeting the group. One worker remains unaccounted for, deepening the tragedy. The Palestinian Red Crescent has hailed Abed as “the lone survivor” of the attack.
The Israeli military, however, offers a conflicting account. It claims the incident occurred when unmarked vehicles, lacking lights or prior coordination, approached a military position under suspicious circumstances. The military alleges that the vehicles carried Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants disguised with Red Crescent markings, and that its soldiers neutralized the threat. An investigation has been launched to examine the events.
The deaths have sparked outrage among humanitarian organizations, with the Red Crescent and U.N. condemning the killings as a violation of international protections for emergency workers. For Abed, the trauma lingers. “It was dark, and I couldn’t see what happened to the people,” he said, his voice heavy with the weight of survival. As investigations proceed, the incident underscores the perilous conditions faced by medics in the conflict zone.
