Eyewitness disputes Israeli claim about Gaza ambulance attack

The events unfolded on March 23, 2025, when an Israeli military attack resulted in the deaths of 15 paramedics and rescue workers in Rafah, Gaza. This attack occurred while a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck was responding to reports of gunfire and injured individuals. Munther Abed, a Palestinian paramedic, claims to be the only survivor of the incident and has provided his account of the events, asserting that all vehicles had their headlights and emergency lights activated when they came under fire. According to him, the Israeli military's assertion that the vehicles were advancing suspiciously towards troops without lights on is false. The Israeli Defense Forces initially stated that their troops shot at the vehicles based on a belief that they posed a threat, alleging they were linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives. Munther Abed countered these claims by emphasizing the civilian status of the emergency responders and the circumstances under which they were operating. This incident has generated significant controversy and scrutiny, particularly regarding Israel's operational procedures and the treatment of medical personnel in conflict zones. Further complicating the situation, new video footage emerged that appears to contradict the Israeli military's narrative. The footage, released by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, shows the ambulances moving with headlights and emergency lights activated, challenging the Israeli claim that the vehicles were approaching without any signal. This has prompted calls for an independent investigation into the incident to evaluate the sequence of events more thoroughly. As the situation continues to develop, the humanitarian impact remains severe, with countless civilian casualties reported. The international community, including organizations like the United Nations, has expressed concern over the loss of life among medical personnel, who are supposed to be protected under international humanitarian law. The call for increased accountability and the protection of emergency responders in conflict zones has never been more urgent, especially in light of the casualties that emergency teams have suffered during ongoing hostilities in Gaza.