There must be an independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances in which at least 15 Palestinian medics and rescue workers, who went to southern Gaza for a rescue operation, were shot dead after Israeli forces opened fire on their vehicles, said Amnesty International today, reiterating calls for independent monitors to be granted immediate access to the occupied Gaza Strip.
Those killed included eight Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) health workers, one UNRWA staff member, and six members of the Palestinian Civil Defense. One further PRCS paramedic remains missing.
Medical personnel carrying out their humanitarian duties must be respected and protected in all circumstances. Deliberate attacks on medics and humanitarian workers are prohibited by international law and constitute war crimes.
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns
“These men were paramedics and rescue workers who put their lives on the line day after day, braving bombs and bullets, and working in harrowing conditions to save lives. The fact that they were killed while trying to rescue people is deeply distressing and an absolute tragedy. Medical personnel carrying out their humanitarian duties must be respected and protected in all circumstances. Deliberate attacks on medics and humanitarian workers are prohibited by international law and constitute war crimes. When medics and humanitarian workers are stopped from doing their lifesaving work, all victims of conflict suffer. These killings must be independently and impartially investigated, and the perpetrators must be held to account,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns.
According to a member of the Palestinian Civil Defense interviewed by Amnesty International victims had travelled to the Hashashin area in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip on 21 March 2025 on a joint rescue mission by PRCS and the Palestinian Civil defense. They had gone to the area to provide assistance to a number of wounded people, including a PRCS medic, Mustafa Khafaja, who himself had been injured after going to the area to provide first aid to people injured as a result of Israeli shelling. The PRCS crew had been missing for days before their bodies were found on 30 March in a mass grave after an agonizing nine-day search.
One of the paramedics was detained by Israeli forces and then released on 23 March.
Military fired on paramedics and rescue workers’ vehicles
The Israeli military said an initial inquiry found that its troops opened fire on vehicles it deemed “suspicious”, acknowledging that they had shot at Palestinian ambulances and fire trucks. Israeli forces had been in full control of the area at the time.
Amnesty International will continue to investigate the details of this incident. Efforts to investigate violations and crimes under international law in Gaza continue to be severely hampered by Israel’s total siege of the Gaza Strip, including its refusal to allow access to human rights investigators, including forensic experts.
“Israel’s continued denial of entry to Gaza for forensic experts and independent investigators, including from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and international human rights organizations like Amnesty International will strengthen impunity and embolden perpetrators of war crimes from all parties,” said Erika Guevara Rosas.
Israeli authorities must not be allowed to continue to obstruct investigations into atrocity crimes, in defiance of legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice. They must immediately allow for impartial and independent investigations to be carried out and vital evidence to be collected and stored.
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns
“Amnesty International’s research indicates Israel is responsible for war crimes and genocide in Gaza. The Israeli authorities must not be allowed to continue to obstruct investigations into atrocity crimes, in defiance of legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice. They must immediately allow for impartial and independent investigations to be carried out and vital evidence to be collected and stored by professional investigators, including those mandated by the UN and the ICC, as well as those working for Palestinian and international human rights organizations. Without such investigations Israel is denying victims any prospect for justice and reparation.
“In light of Israel’s brazen defiance of international law, including the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, states cannot continue to remain silent and inactive. They have clear obligations to ensure Israel respects international humanitarian law and to bring an end to Israel’s genocide and other gross violations of international law against Palestinians. Every day of inaction is costing lives in Gaza and further emboldens perpetrators.”
Every day of inaction is costing lives in Gaza and further emboldens perpetrators.
Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns
Israel’s genocide in Gaza has already resulted in an unprecedented number of aid workers being killed, the vast majority of whom are Palestinians. In total, since 7 October 2023, at least 408 aid workers have been killed in Gaza, including at least 280 UNRWA staff and 34 PRCS staff.
Header image: Paramedics transport out of an ambulance some of the bodies of Palestinian first responders, who were killed a week before in Israeli military fire on ambulances, into Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on March 30, 2025. Photo by AFP via Getty Images.
