More War Crimes in Gaza: Targeting Medical Staff

On March 23, 2023, the Israeli military opened fire on a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck in Rafah, southern Gaza, killing 15 rescue workers. Initial claims by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that the vehicles were moving "suspiciously" without their lights on were contradicted by video footage obtained from the phone of one of the killed paramedics. News media, including UK's BBC examined the evidence and reported on it along with other international media outlets. including the New York Times.

Footage obtained from a mobile phone belonging to one of the victims contradicts the Israeli military's claims regarding the circumstances of the attack. The video shows that the ambulances were clearly marked and had their emergency lights activated at the time they came under fire. 

According to the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, an army investigation now admits that soldiers opened fire as the medics approached a vehicle they believed belonged to Hamas police. The soldiers claimed they felt under attack.

The report also states that the earlier claim about the ambulances lacking emergency lights or signals "was not a deliberate lie." It further confirms that bulldozers buried the vehicles and the bodies of 14 Palestinians, including one UN worker, with sand.

The army claimed this was done to "protect them from wolves and animals."

The new evidence has been presented to the United Nations, highlighting the deliberate targeting of medical personnel—a serious breach of the Geneva Conventions.

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, stated that the evidence suggests a systematic and intentional campaign against civilians and medical personnel. She emphasized that such actions constitute genocide under international law.

Laws and Treaties Prohibiting Targeting of Medical Staff

The targeting of medical personnel and facilities is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, specifically:

The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols:

Article 24 of the First Geneva Convention protects medical personnel who are "exclusively engaged in the search for, or the collection, transport or treatment of the wounded or sick."

Article 15 of Additional Protocol I prohibits attacks against "civilian medical units" and "medical transports."

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court:

Article 8 defines "intentionally directing attacks against buildings, material, medical units and transport, and personnel using the distinctive emblems of the Geneva Conventions" as a war crime.

Customary International Humanitarian Law:

Rule 25 states that "medical personnel exclusively assigned to medical duties must be respected and protected in all circumstances."

Rule 29 prohibits "attacking, destroying, removing or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population."

International Response

Despite the evidence and widespread condemnation, responses from the international community have been mixed. Calls for an independent investigation into these events have been largely ignored. The PRCS and various international organizations continue to demand accountability for the killings and emphasize the need for a ceasefire amid escalating violence.

The silence comes only from Western political establishments. In contrast, NGOs, UN officials, and ordinary people have raised their voices against these crimes. Today, April 5, 2025, a massive demonstration filled the streets of Washington, D.C., demanding justice.

Albanese criticized the silence from Western nations regarding these violations, suggesting that it emboldens further breaches of international law. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by military assaults and a blockade, has led to significant casualties, with reports indicating that over 165,000 individuals have been killed or injured since the conflict escalated.

Even before this development, world community appear to be intimidated into silence despite the ongoing atrocities. Reportedly, a UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution intended to establish a mechanism to investigate crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories was weakened after pressure from the US on the Palestinian Authority, according to a US official and a source briefed by a European diplomat.

The final version of the resolution, adopted this week, now only invites the UN General Assembly to "consider establishing" such a body, instead of directly creating it, as earlier drafts had proposed.

US officials, including the chairs of key committees in the US House and Senate, had warned that any support for an Israel-specific investigative mechanism could result in US sanctions.

The attack on medical personnel in Rafah highlights a troubling pattern of violence against those who provide humanitarian assistance. The evidence collected thus far supports claims of war crimes, necessitating urgent international action to uphold humanitarian laws and protect the rights of civilians in conflict zones. As the situation in Gaza remains dire, the need for accountability and justice becomes ever more critical.