The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has called for an independent international inquiry into the “deliberate killing” of 15 medical and humanitarian workers in an attack by Israeli forces in Gaza.
In a statement on Monday, the group said the March 23 attack in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah “constitutes a full-fledged war crime, and it reflects a dangerous pattern of repeated violation of international humanitarian law”.
PRCS President Younis al-Khatib said an independent commission is needed “to establish the facts and hold those responsible accountable”.
Israeli forces opened fire at the medics, who were driving in ambulances to assist wounded people at the site of an earlier Israeli attack.
A video recently recovered from the mobile phone of one of the medics showed their final moments. The medics were wearing highly reflective uniforms and were inside clearly identifiable rescue vehicles before they were shot by Israeli forces in Rafah’s Tal as-Sultan neighbourhood. According to the PRCS, the convoy came under heavy gunfire for about five minutes. It said communication between the team and the central dispatch centre “confirms that the gunfire continued for no less than two hours” with continuous shooting heard until contact was completely lost with one of the medics.
This has also been confirmed by one survivor, who said the ambulances came under direct fire with no warning.
“It is no longer sufficient to speak of respecting the international law and Geneva Convention,” al-Khatib told reporters from el-Bireh in the occupied West Bank. “It is now required from the international community and the UN Security Council to implement the necessary punishment against all who are responsible.” (Agencies)
