Israel’s military has admitted to firing on ambulances in the Gaza Strip after identifying them as “suspicious vehicles,” an incident that Hamas has condemned as a “war crime” that killed at least one person.
The attack took place last Sunday in the Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, near the Egyptian border. Israeli troops had launched an offensive in the area on March 20, following the resumption of airstrikes in Gaza after nearly two months of ceasefire.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, troops initially fired at vehicles identified as belonging to Hamas, killing several militants. A few minutes later, additional vehicles approached the area “suspiciously,” leading to further fire. The military claimed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad members were among those targeted but did not confirm whether the vehicles were armed or firing back.
Following an initial inquiry, the Israeli military acknowledged that some of the targeted vehicles were ambulances and fire trucks. It condemned what it described as the “repeated use” of ambulances by militant groups in Gaza for military purposes.
Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that a rescue team of six had been dispatched to the scene but lost contact shortly after. A day later, it discovered the body of the team leader along with the destroyed rescue vehicles, including an ambulance and a firefighting truck. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that one of its ambulances was also reduced to wreckage.
Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim accused Israel of carrying out a “deliberate and brutal massacre” against rescue teams, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, condemned the attack, stating that Israeli airstrikes since March 18 had killed hundreds of civilians, including children. He called on the international community to take action to uphold humanitarian law.
The attack took place last Sunday in the Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, near the Egyptian border. Israeli troops had launched an offensive in the area on March 20, following the resumption of airstrikes in Gaza after nearly two months of ceasefire.
According to a statement from the Israeli military, troops initially fired at vehicles identified as belonging to Hamas, killing several militants. A few minutes later, additional vehicles approached the area “suspiciously,” leading to further fire. The military claimed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad members were among those targeted but did not confirm whether the vehicles were armed or firing back.
Following an initial inquiry, the Israeli military acknowledged that some of the targeted vehicles were ambulances and fire trucks. It condemned what it described as the “repeated use” of ambulances by militant groups in Gaza for military purposes.
Gaza’s civil defense agency reported that a rescue team of six had been dispatched to the scene but lost contact shortly after. A day later, it discovered the body of the team leader along with the destroyed rescue vehicles, including an ambulance and a firefighting truck. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that one of its ambulances was also reduced to wreckage.
Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim accused Israel of carrying out a “deliberate and brutal massacre” against rescue teams, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions.
Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, condemned the attack, stating that Israeli airstrikes since March 18 had killed hundreds of civilians, including children. He called on the international community to take action to uphold humanitarian law.
