The Israeli military has revised its account of a deadly March incident in Rafah, Gaza, in which 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers — including a UN staff member — were killed, after newly recovered phone footage undermined its initial explanation.
Originally, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops opened fire because the medics’ vehicles were approaching “suspiciously” without headlights or emergency signals. But a video retrieved from the phone of one of the deceased, Rifat Radwan, appears to show clearly marked ambulances and a fire truck moving with both headlights and flashing emergency lights before gunfire erupts.
“What we understand currently is the person who gives the initial account is mistaken. We’re trying to understand why,” said an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously in accordance with IDF protocols.
The nearly seven-minute video directly contradicts the IDF’s original claim and has prompted further scrutiny amid demands for an independent investigation.
An Operation Gone Wrong
The paramedics were responding to an earlier incident on March 23 when their convoy came under heavy Israeli fire in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), the team had been dispatched to aid colleagues wounded earlier that day.
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Footage shows the vehicles stopping at the roadside. Two men exit the vehicle, and within moments, gunfire breaks out. The screen turns black. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) later confirmed all 15 rescue workers, including at least one UN staff member, were killed.
Survivor Munther Abed, a 27-year-old volunteer paramedic, said he narrowly escaped death by lying on the floor of the ambulance. His two colleagues were shot dead. Abed was detained for several hours by Israeli troops and later released.
“They dragged me out of the ambulance, keeping me face down,” Abed told The Guardian. “They were in full gear, with green lasers and night-vision goggles.”
Conflicting Accounts and Calls for Answers
Israel’s military now says the first report from the field was inaccurate, with the official confirming an internal investigation is underway. However, Israeli media reports citing military sources claimed at least six of the dead were affiliated with militant groups — a claim unsubstantiated by any public evidence.
The IDF also alleged it had killed a Hamas operative, Mohammed Amin Shobaki, at the scene. Yet no one by that name was among the 15 identified victims, and no additional bodies have been recovered.
The IDF claimed the UN had been informed of the location of the bodies, which were buried — along with the ambulances and a UN vehicle — after Israel allegedly denied access to the area for several days.
Jonathan Whittall, interim head of Ocha in the occupied Palestinian territory, rejected the claims about militant affiliations.
“These are paramedic crews that I personally have met before,” Whittall said. “They were buried in their uniforms with their gloves on. They were ready to save lives.”
International Condemnation Mounts
The killings occurred just a day after the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire and the resumption of Israeli military operations near Gaza’s border with Egypt. The incident has provoked widespread outrage, with the UN and PRCS demanding an independent investigation into what may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
Another medic, Assad al-Nassasra, is still missing. According to Abed, he was last seen blindfolded and led away by Israeli soldiers. His whereabouts remain unknown.
On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 44 Palestinians, including 21 in Khan Younis and six in Gaza City near a bakery. Among the dead were three children, according to Gaza’s civil defence spokesperson.
In retaliation, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets at southern Israeli cities. Israel reported 10 projectiles, with most intercepted. One hit was reported in Ashkelon, causing minor injuries and damage.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel had ordered a “strong response” to the attacks.
Mounting Questions and a Demand for Accountability
While the IDF maintains the incident remains under investigation, the contradictions between initial reports and confirmed evidence have renewed international pressure for greater transparency and accountability.
Legal experts and humanitarian organisations say that if medics were intentionally targeted, it could amount to a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
“They were there to save lives,” said one Red Crescent spokesperson. “And they were gunned down one by one.”
As calls grow for an impartial probe, the world watches to see whether Israel will fully cooperate with international bodies — and whether the deaths of 15 medics will lead to justice or be buried alongside their crushed ambulances.
