Fifteen paramedics and humanitarian workers allegedly shot and buried in mass grave, raising concerns over violations of international law

A United Nations report has alleged that Israeli forces systematically killed fifteen Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers, including a UN staff member, before burying them in a mass grave in southern Gaza.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) and civil defence workers were attempting to aid injured colleagues when their marked vehicles came under heavy fire in Rafah’s Tel al-Sultan district on 23 March. The shootings occurred one day after Israel intensified its military operations near the Egyptian border.

A Red Crescent official in Gaza has stated that one of the victims was found with his hands tied, suggesting he had been detained before being killed. Another rescue worker remains missing.

Jonathan Whittall, OCHA’s head in Palestine, described the scene as horrific: “They arrived to save lives but were struck one by one. Their bodies were later discovered buried together in their uniforms, still wearing gloves.” He added that Israeli forces had used bulldozers to cover both the victims and their ambulances with sand.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), confirmed that a UN employee was among the victims. “Their bodies were discarded in shallow graves, a profound violation of human dignity,” he wrote on social media.

The Israeli military has defended its actions, stating that its troops fired on vehicles “moving suspiciously” in an active combat zone. It claimed the movement had not been coordinated in advance and that some of those killed were militants. However, the Red Crescent maintains that the area was considered safe for humanitarian operations.

The PRCS reported that an initial ambulance had successfully transported casualties from an airstrike, but contact was lost with a second support vehicle at 3.30am. A subsequent convoy of five rescue vehicles was sent to retrieve the missing workers but came under attack, leading to multiple fatalities.

Dr Bashar Murad, the Red Crescent’s director of health programmes, recounted that a paramedic in the convoy had called colleagues for help before Israeli soldiers arrived. “During the call, we heard them speaking in Hebrew, giving orders to restrain the medics. It was clear that some were still alive.”

The bodies remained buried for several days before being recovered under difficult conditions. “They were shot in the upper body, then piled into a hole and covered with sand,” said Murad.

The UN and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have condemned the incident, with IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain stating, “These were humanitarian workers responding to the wounded. Their clearly marked uniforms and ambulances should have protected them.”

Since the start of Israel’s Gaza offensive in October 2023, more than 1,060 healthcare workers have been killed, according to the UN. The escalation of violence has prompted the global body to reduce its international staff presence in Gaza due to safety concerns.