Survivor challenges Israeli account of attack on Gaza ambulances

Munther Abed swiped across his phone screen, displaying photos of his colleagues, and said sorrowfully, "I am the only survivor, and I witnessed everything that happened to my colleagues." He survived the Israeli attack on March 23rd in the early morning hours by lying down in the back of an ambulance, while his two colleagues sitting in the front were tragically shot and killed. He is now determined to share their story with the world.

Abed recounted the incident to a freelance journalist for the BBC in Gaza: "We left the headquarters at around dawn." He explained that rescue teams from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, the Gaza Civil Defense, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) gathered on the edge of the southern city of Rafah after receiving reports of shootings and injuries. The coordination among different organizations underscored the urgency of the situation.

"At approximately 4:30 AM, all the civil defense vehicles were in place. At 4:40 AM, the first two vehicles departed. At 4:50 AM, the last vehicle arrived. At approximately 5:00 AM, the (UN) agency's vehicle was directly shot at on the street," Abed recalled. The Israeli military claimed that its forces opened fire because the vehicles were moving suspiciously towards soldiers without prior coordination and without their lights on. The Israeli military also claimed that nine Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants were killed in the incident, though this is disputed.

Abed challenged the Israeli military's claims. "Whether it's day or night, the situation is the same. The external and internal lights were on. Everything indicated that it was an ambulance belonging to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. All the lights were on until the vehicle was directly shot at," he emphasized. He also added that after the incident, he was pulled from the wreckage by Israeli soldiers, blindfolded, and arrested. He claimed he was interrogated for over 15 hours before being released, leaving him traumatized.

The BBC has submitted Abed's account to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), but has not yet received a response. When asked about the matter at a press conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar echoed the IDF's statement, claiming that "the IDF does not randomly attack ambulances." He added, "We identified several uncoordinated vehicles, without headlights or emergency signals, moving suspiciously towards IDF forces. IDF forces then opened fire on the suspicious vehicles." The conflicting narratives highlight the need for an independent investigation.

Saar further stated: "An initial assessment determined that the forces eliminated a Hamas military terrorist, Mohammed Amin Ibrahim Shubaki, who participated in the October 7th massacre, as well as eight other terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad." However, Shubaki's name does not appear on the list of 15 deceased emergency responders, which includes 8 Palestine Red Crescent Society medical personnel, 6 civil defense first responders, and 1 UNRWA staff member. Israel has not stated the whereabouts of Shubaki's body, nor has it provided any evidence that these emergency responders posed a direct threat, raising questions about the validity of their claims.

Abed dismissed Israel's claim that Hamas may have used ambulances as cover. "This is completely untrue. All the staff are civilians," he said. "We don't belong to any armed organization. Our primary responsibility is to provide ambulance services and save people's lives. That's all." He emphasized their neutrality and commitment to humanitarian work.

Medical personnel in Gaza held a funeral for their colleagues earlier this week. Grief was palpable, and calls for accountability were made. A father who lost a loved one told the BBC that his son was killed in "cold blood." International agencies were only able to access the area a week after the attack to recover the victims' remains. They found the bodies buried in sand dunes, next to the destroyed ambulances, fire trucks, and UN vehicles, indicating the chaotic and devastating aftermath.

Sam Rose, acting director of UNRWA's Gaza office, stated: "What we do know is that 15 people lost their lives, and their bodies were buried hastily in sand berms in the middle of the road, treated with utter disrespect, which appears to be a violation of international humanitarian law. Only through an investigation, a full and thorough investigation, can we ascertain the truth." Israel has not committed to conducting an investigation. According to the UN, at least 1060 health workers have been killed since the conflict began, highlighting the dangers faced by medical personnel.

"Of course, all ambulance staff, all medical personnel, all humanitarian workers inside Gaza are now feeling increasingly unsafe, increasingly vulnerable," Mr. Rose said. One medical worker remains missing following the March 23rd incident. Abed nervously fiddled with prayer beads in his hand, saying, "They weren't just colleagues, they were friends. We used to eat, drink, laugh, and joke together... I considered them my second family." He stated firmly: "I will expose the crimes committed by the (Israeli) occupation against my colleagues. If I wasn't the only survivor, who would tell the world what they did to our colleagues, who would tell their stories?" He feels a deep responsibility to seek justice and ensure their memory lives on.