Survivor's Account Contradicts Israeli Narrative on Gaza Paramedics' Tragic Attack

In a heart-wrenching narrative, paramedic Munther Abed describes the fatal assault on emergency personnel in Gaza that left 15 medics dead. Despite Israeli military claims, Abed insists that the attack was unprovoked and highlights the indiscriminate targeting of civilian responders in conflict zones.

Paramedic Munther Abed, the sole survivor of an Israeli attack that killed 15 emergency workers in Gaza, has come forward with an account that challenges the Israeli military's portrayal of the incident. Abed recalls diving to the floor in the back of his ambulance just moments before two of his colleagues were shot dead on March 23. "I'm the only survivor who saw what happened to my colleagues," he stated, sharing poignant photographs of his fallen peers on his phone.

The Palestinian Red Crescent response team had mobilized early that morning in Rafah following reports of gunfire and injuries. Abed detailed how emergency vehicles from various agencies arrived on the scene, only to come under fire shortly afterwards. The Israeli military asserts that the vehicles were shot at because they moved suspiciously without prior coordination and with their lights off, claiming that nine militants were eliminated in the encounter.

However, Abed disputes this account. "All lights were on until the vehicle came under direct fire," he asserted, pointing out that it was clear they were ambulances. After pulling him from the wreckage, Israeli soldiers arrested and interrogated him for 15 hours before his release. The BBC has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment but has not received a response.

Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, maintain that the attack was justified, citing uncoordinated vehicles heading towards their troops. Saar claimed an initial assessment concluded that a Hamas member involved in recent violence was among those killed, though the identity of this individual has not been verified, nor is he included in the list of the deceased emergency workers.

Joining the chorus of grief, families mourned their losses, with a father of a slain medic describing the killing as "cold blood." International agencies took a week to access the bodies, which were found buried alongside damaged emergency vehicles, prompting resounding calls for accountability.

Sam Rose, acting director of UNRWA's Gaza office, emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the killings, which he deems a serious breach of humanitarian law. "Fifteen people lost their lives and were treated with complete indignity," he remarked.

The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of over 1,060 healthcare workers since it escalated, leaving many in the field feeling increasingly threatened. Abed vows to share the truth about his colleagues, reinforcing their commitment to saving lives amid perilous circumstances. “I will expose the crimes committed by the occupation against my colleagues,” he stated, underscoring the urgency for international attention to their plight.