The bodies of 15 humanitarian workers have been found in the southern Gaza Strip. This was reported by Reuters, according to UNN.
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UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the dead were victims of Israeli forces while trying to rescue people. He called for an immediate investigation and accountability for the incident.
The Israeli army did not directly comment on the deaths of the rescuers, but said that on March 23, troops opened fire on a convoy of vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks. According to the military, the transport was moving without prior agreement, without headlights or hazard lights. Israeli forces claim that militants were also killed in the shelling.
The head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, called the burial of bodies in shallow graves a "gross violation of human dignity". According to him, 408 humanitarian workers have already died in Gaza since the beginning of the war.
The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed outrage at the tragedy, emphasizing that the victims consciously risked their lives to help others. At the same time, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that one employee was missing.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said that six civil defense members and one UN employee were also among the dead. The organization accused Israeli forces of the attack, but the Red Cross refrained from direct accusations.