Palestinian paramedic Assad al-Nusasura and other paramedics have been missing since an attack by Israeli forces on March 23, which resulted in the deaths of fifteen Palestinian rescue workers, including one UN employee, in southern Rafah, Gaza. The attack involved the shooting of medics who were responding to help injured colleagues, with reports indicating that victims were shot one by one and their bodies, along with their ambulance, were buried to conceal the killings. The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRC) condemned this as a “serious violation of international law” and called for an international investigation.
Nusasura, an experienced medic, was reportedly seen alive and blindfolded at the scene of the ambush by survivor Mansar Abedo, who was also attacked. Recently, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that Nusasura is in Israeli custody but has not been granted access to visit him since October 7, 2023. The PRCS has urged the international community to advocate for Nusasura’s release, describing him as being “forcibly accused” for carrying out humanitarian duties.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initially defended their actions, claiming they targeted a suspicious vehicle without lights, but later retracted this narrative after evidence surfaced showing the ambulance was marked with a red crescent. The IDF is reassessing their operational information to clarify the discrepancies in their account. They suggested that the victims may have been mistaken for Hamas militants, despite the lack of evidence supporting this claim. Survivor Abedo recounted his own detention by Israeli forces, describing beatings and intense questioning before his release.
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