Watch: Palestinian Red Crescent Moon says the video was found on the phone of a killed paramedic
Israeli forces admitted that the soldiers made a mistake in killing 15 paramedics in southern Gaza on March 23, but say some of them are linked to Hamas.
Palestinian Red Crescent Association (PRCS) ambulances, fire truck ambulances from Gaza’s civil defense, fire engine ambulances were fired near Rafa.
Israel originally claimed that the troops fired fire as the fleet approached “suspectly” in the dark without headlights or flashlights. Vehicle movements were not previously coordinated or agreed to with the Army.
Cell phone footage, taken by one of the killed paramedics, showed the vehicle was on when he answered a phone call to help the injured person.
Originally shared by The New York Times, the video shows the vehicle being pulled up on the road when the shooting begins just before dawn without warning.
The footage lasted more than five minutes, when paramedics, named Refat Radwan, heard that the voices of Israeli soldiers had heard his final prayer before they approached the vehicle.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) explained the journalists on Saturday evening, saying soldiers had previously fired fire on a vehicle that included three Hamas members.
As the ambulance responded and approached the area, the air surveillance monitor informed the soldiers on the convoy’s ground that they would “didn’ progress.”
When the ambulance stopped near Hamas’ car, the soldiers fired fire, assuming they were under threat, despite no evidence that the emergency team was unarmed.
Israel has admitted previous accounts claiming that vehicles approaching without light were inaccurate, and the report attributed to the military involved.
Video footage shows the vehicle clearly marked and the paramedics were wearing reflective hibis uniforms.
Soldiers buried the bodies of 15 dead workers in the sand to protect them from wildlife, officials said they alleged that the vehicle was moved and buried the next day.
They were not revealed until a week after the incident, as international organizations, including the United Nations, were unable to organize or find a safe passage into the region.
When the aid team found the body, they also found Refat Radwan’s phone, which contains footage of the incident.
The IDF claims that at least six Medics are linked to Hamas, but so far no evidence has been provided. They admit that when the soldiers fired, they were not armed.
Military officials said they were handcuffed and not executed at close range before they died, as some reports suggest.
Earlier this week, surviving paramedics told the BBC that the ambulance was on the lights, denying that their colleagues were linked to extremist groups.
The IDF has promised a “full investigation” of the incident, saying it would “understand the handling of a series of events and circumstances.”
Red Crescent and many other international organizations are seeking independent investigations.
