Jerusalem: The Israeli military has changed its initial stance on the incident in Rafah, southern Gaza, on March 23, in which 15 aid workers were killed. Investigations are still ongoing.
According to the Red Crescent and United Nations officials, these aid workers were sent to assist the wounded after Israeli airstrikes, but they were shot dead, and their bodies were found a week later. One worker is still missing.
Initially, the Israeli military claimed it fired at suspicious vehicles without lights or markings in the dark, assuming they were carrying militants. However, a video released by the Palestinian Red Crescent clearly shows emergency vehicles and aid workers’ uniforms, which were targeted.
The sole survivor of the incident, Red Crescent paramedic Manzar Abid, also confirmed that the firing was directed at clearly marked emergency vehicles.
An Israeli military officer stated that the video is under analysis, and complete results will be presented to the commanders. He admitted that the initial report did not mention the lights, but now all operational information is being reviewed.
The Red Crescent and United Nations have called for an independent investigation into the incident, with the United Nations claiming that aid teams were targeted over several hours as they searched for their missing colleagues.
