On March 23, 2025, in Tal al-Sultan, in the southern Gaza Strip, an attack by the Israeli military tragically struck a Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) rescue convoy. Nine members of the medical team were involved in the incident: eight were killed, and one is missing.
The rescuers were responding to an emergency call to assist the injured following Israeli airstrikes in the Al-Hashashin area of Rafah. Despite wearing the distinctive Red Cross emblem, their ambulances were attacked.
The bodies of the victims were found after a week of searches, but one team member remains missing. The Italian Red Cross expressed deep condolences for the loss, emphasizing that the attack represents a severe violation of international humanitarian law.
Witnesses reported that the ambulances were clearly marked and were moving with flashing lights and sirens at the time of the attack, contradicting Israeli claims that the vehicles were moving suspiciously.
This incident highlights the extreme dangers faced by healthcare workers in conflict zones and the importance of ensuring their protection under international conventions.
Rifaat Radwan was a Palestinian paramedic working for the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS). On March 23, 2025, while responding to an airstrike in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, in southern Gaza, he was killed along with 14 other rescuers by Israeli gunfire. A video recovered from his phone documents his final moments. In the footage, Radwan says: “Forgive me, mother… this is the path I chose to help people. The army has arrived.” The video also shows that the ambulances had their emergency lights on and the paramedics were wearing reflective uniforms, contradicting earlier statements from the Israeli army that the vehicles approached without emergency markings.
Saleh Moamer was a 45-year-old paramedic and a member of the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS). During the conflict in Gaza, he faced extremely dangerous situations. On one patient transport mission, his vehicle was hit by Israeli fire; the driver was killed instantly, and a bullet struck Saleh in the chest near his heart. Despite his injuries, he managed to reach safety by following radio instructions from his colleagues. After three months of hospitalization, he returned to work. On another occasion, during a rescue mission near Rafah, his ambulance was hit again, and Saleh was wounded in his right shoulder. On March 23, 2025, during his night shift, Saleh was killed along with 14 other medical workers in an attack by Israeli forces. His dedication to humanitarian service, despite the risks, left a deep mark on his community.
Mohammad Bahloul was a paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) who lost his life on March 23, 2025, while carrying out his humanitarian duty in the Gaza Strip. That day, Bahloul and several colleagues went to the al-Hashaashin neighborhood in Rafah in response to an Israeli airstrike, aiming to rescue the wounded. However, their clearly marked ambulances came under heavy gunfire from Israeli forces. In total, fifteen medical workers, including Bahloul, were killed in the attack. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces later buried the victims’ bodies and the destroyed vehicles in a mass grave in an apparent attempt to conceal the incident. The discovery of the grave sparked international outrage and calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack.
Ezz Al Din Shatt was a paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS). On March 23, 2025, during a rescue mission in the Hashashin neighborhood of Rafah, his ambulance was struck by Israeli gunfire. Ezz Al Din Shatt and his colleague, Mostafa Khufaga, were killed in the attack. A third paramedic, Munther Abed, survived by hiding inside the ambulance and later gave testimony about the incident.
Ashraf Abu Labda was a paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS), killed on March 23, 2025, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, during an Israeli military attack on a humanitarian convoy. The PRCS identified the victims as ambulance officers Mostafa Khafaga, Saleh Muamer, and Ezzedine Shaath, along with first aid volunteers Mohammad Bahloul, Mohammed al-Heila, Ashraf Abu Labda, Raed al-Sharif, and Rifatt Radwan. Another ambulance officer, Assad al-Nassasra, remains missing.
According to witnesses, the ambulances were clearly marked and moving with flashing lights and sirens at the time of the attack, contradicting Israeli claims that the vehicles were moving suspiciously.
This incident represents one of the most severe attacks on Red Cross and Red Crescent workers since 2017, sparking international outrage and calls for independent investigations to determine responsibility and ensure justice for the victims.
Mustafa Khafaja was a Palestinian paramedic with the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS), tragically killed on March 23, 2025, in Rafah, southern Gaza. He was part of a humanitarian team targeted by Israeli military forces while responding to an emergency call to assist civilians injured by Israeli airstrikes in the Al-Hashashin area of Rafah. The team was ambushed, and Khafaja, along with seven other medics, lost their lives in the attack. A ninth medic remains missing.
The PRCS condemned the attack, describing it as a war crime under international humanitarian law, as the medics were clearly identifiable and performing protected humanitarian duties. Khafaja’s dedication to saving lives exemplifies the courage and commitment of healthcare workers in conflict zones. His death, along with his colleagues, underscores the extreme risks faced by medical personnel in such environments.
Raed Al-Sharif was a 21-year-old Palestinian paramedic, killed on March 23, 2025, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, during an Israeli military attack on a Palestinian Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) humanitarian convoy. Raed had replaced his father, Hassan Hosni Al-Hila, who could not participate in the shift that evening due to health reasons.
Mohammad Al-Hila was a 21-year-old Palestinian paramedic, killed on March 23, 2025, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, during an Israeli military attack on a humanitarian convoy. That day, Mohammad replaced his father, Hassan Hosni Al-Hila, who could not join the shift due to health reasons. While on duty, Mohammad called his father, saying, “Dad, help me… they are shooting at us,” before the line went dead. Shortly after, his body was found in a mass grave along with 14 other rescuers, including members of the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS), Gaza Civil Defense, and United Nations staff.
