The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has announced that the fate of nine of its paramedics and six Civil Defense personnel remains unknown after they were targeted by ‘Israeli’ forces in Rafah, southern Gaza.
In a statement, PRCS declared a state of emergency to determine the whereabouts of its missing teams. The organization condemned ‘Israel’s’ deliberate obstruction of search efforts and held it responsible for the safety of the missing paramedics.
“There is a possibility that our trapped teams in Rafah have been martyred or detained,” the statement read, warning that ‘Israel’s’ refusal to disclose their fate raises concerns about potential war crimes.
PRCS urged the international community to pressure ‘Israel’ into revealing the fate of the missing teams. Although the organization received approval to visit the site where its personnel disappeared, it expressed fears that ‘Israeli’ forces might revoke this permission at any moment.
The incident dates back to last Monday when PRCS lost contact with its teams in Rafah after ‘Israeli’ forces targeted four ambulances during humanitarian missions. The attacks occurred following ‘Israeli’ airstrikes on the Hashashin neighborhood at dawn on Sunday.
According to PRCS, one ambulance came under heavy gunfire while attempting to evacuate the wounded, injuring the crew. When PRCS dispatched three additional ambulances to rescue them, ‘Israeli’ forces unexpectedly surrounded the area, leading to a complete loss of contact with the teams.
Despite extensive efforts by international organizations to access the site, ‘Israeli’ authorities have repeatedly refused to allow evacuation and rescue operations.
PRCS also confirmed that since the start of the ‘Israeli’ assault, 19 of its personnel have been killed in Gaza while carrying out humanitarian duties.
‘Israeli’ military acknowledges targeting ambulances
The Israeli Occupation military admitted on Saturday that it fired on ambulances in Gaza, claiming they were “suspicious.” The incident occurred in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, near the border with Egypt, according to Channel 12.
On Monday, the Gaza Civil Defense reported losing contact with a rescue team of six volunteers dispatched urgently to Tel al-Sultan after reports of casualties from advancing Israeli forces.
On Friday, the Civil Defense confirmed finding the body of the team’s leader, with the targeted ambulances burned beyond recognition, indicating direct airstrikes.
