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New Evidence Suggests Execution-Style Killings of 15 Palestinian Aid Workers in Rafah
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ND
by News Desk
2025-04-04
New Evidence Suggests Execution-Style Killings of 15 Palestinian Aid Workers in Rafah

New forensic evidence has emerged suggesting that 15 Palestinian aid workers killed by Israeli forces in Rafah last week were executed at close range. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has described the incident as “one of the darkest moments” in the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Forensic expert Ahmad Dhaher, who examined the bodies of the victims at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, revealed that the bullet wounds on the aid workers were deliberately aimed at vital areas such as the head and heart. Some of the victims had multiple gunshot wounds, indicating they were executed at close range rather than shot from a distance.

The aid workers, including nine PRCS medics, six civil defense personnel, and a United Nations staff member, disappeared on March 23 during a rescue mission in Rafah's Tal as-Sultan neighborhood. Following an attack by Israeli forces, the rescue team was targeted, and several emergency workers searching for them were also hit by Israeli airstrikes over the following hours.

A week later, the bodies of 15 aid workers were discovered buried in the sand, with one PRCS worker still missing. The discovery of what the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called a “mass grave” has sparked international outrage.

PRCS President Younes al-Khatib condemned the killings, calling them a violation of human rights and a blow to shared humanity. Al-Khatib also revealed that PRCS dispatchers overheard a conversation in Hebrew between Israeli forces and some of the aid workers, indicating that some were alive while in custody, though no further details have been confirmed.

Israel's military has claimed that the aid workers’ ambulances were allegedly carrying Hamas and Islamic Jihad fighters, though they are conducting an investigation into the incident. This claim has been met with widespread skepticism from humanitarian groups, with some calling for Israel to be held accountable for the deaths.

The UN has raised concerns over the killing of humanitarian workers, with 408 aid workers, including 280 UN staff, killed since the beginning of the Gaza conflict. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called for an independent, thorough investigation, warning that the killings may constitute war crimes.

The international community is calling for greater accountability and transparency, urging Israel to conduct a prompt and independent investigation into the deaths of the aid workers. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by humanitarian personnel working in conflict zones.
Tagged:

Palestine

Gaza

HumanRights

AidWorkers

WarCrimes
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