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The remains of eight medics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) who were shot in Gaza have been recovered, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). However, a ninth medic remains missing.
In a statement released on Sunday, the ICRC expressed its profound distress over the fatalities, emphasizing the bravery of these medics who risked their lives to assist others in a conflict zone. “Their bodies have been identified and recovered for dignified burial,” the organization noted.
Additionally, the PRCS reported that six civil defense personnel and one United Nations employee were also found in the same region, asserting that Israeli forces had specifically targeted these humanitarian workers. The ICRC, however, did not assign blame for the incidents in their statements.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) announced that one member of the nine-person PRCS team remains unaccounted for since they went missing on March 23.
Conflicting Accounts
The Israeli military has stated that an investigation revealed that on the day in question, troops fired upon vehicles, which included ambulances and fire trucks, that approached a military position without prior notification and without demonstrating emergency signals or headlights.
According to the military, several members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad were killed in the incident. In a statement, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) remarked, “The IDF condemns the repeated use of civilian infrastructure by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, including the misappropriation of medical facilities and ambulances for terroristic activities.”
However, the IDF refrained from making direct comments regarding the deaths of the Red Cross workers.
This incident marks the deadliest attack on Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel globally since 2017, as highlighted by the IFRC. Secretary General Jagan Chapagain articulated his sorrow regarding the tragedy, stating, “I am heartbroken. These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people. They were humanitarians.” He further emphasized that the workers were clearly marked as protected personnel.
Furthermore, the United Nations has reported that over 1,060 healthcare workers have lost their lives amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza since Israel commenced operations following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. In light of safety concerns, the UN is reducing its international staff in Gaza by a third.
Source
www.cbc.ca