On March 23, a convoy of emergency vehicles came under heavy gunfire from Israeli occupation forces, resulting in the killing of 15 humanitarian workers.
A Palestinian paramedic who was the sole survivor of an Israeli attack in Rafah last month that killed eight of his colleagues was released by Israel on Tuesday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said.
In footage shared by the PRCS, an emotional Asaad al-Nasasrah is seen being welcomed by fellow medics “after 37 days in detention by the occupation forces.”
“He had been arrested while performing his humanitarian duty during the massacre of medical teams in the Tel Al-Sultan area of Rafah Governorate,” the PRCS said in a statement on X.
The first moments of colleague Asaad Al-Nsasrah’s arrival and reunion with his teammates following his release today, after 37 days in detention by the occupation forces. He had been arrested while performing his humanitarian duty during the massacre of medical teams in the Tel… pic.twitter.com/TzGHbZHeJl
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) April 29, 2025
Al-Nasasrah “arrived in poor health” at the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, “where he underwent the necessary medical examinations.”
He was reportedly among at least 10 Palestinian detainees who were released into Gaza.
Initial Fate Unknown
On March 23, a convoy of emergency vehicles came under heavy gunfire from Israeli occupation forces, resulting in the killing of 15 humanitarian workers, including paramedics, civil defense personnel and a UN employee.
Today, the Israeli occupation forces released our colleague Asaad Al-Nasasrah, a survivor of the massacre targeting medical teams in Rafah. He had been detained for 37 days and arrived in poor health at Al-Amal Hospital, affiliated with the association in Khan Younis, where he… pic.twitter.com/xk7vxtKEdG
— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) April 29, 2025
Al-Nasasrah’s fate remained unknown until April 13, when the PRCS announced that it had been informed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that the ambulance driver was being held by the Israeli army.
Bodies Discovered
In an earlier statement, the PRCS said that for almost five days following the attack, Israeli forces prevented rescue teams from accessing the site under the pretext that it was a red zone.
Forgive Me, Mother: The Final Words of Palestinian Paramedic Executed by Israel
Eventually, limited access was granted, during which the team recovered the body of a Civil Defense member before Israeli forces forced the rescue team to withdraw.
On March 30, the bodies of 14 individuals—including PRCS medics, Civil Defense staff, and one UNRWA staff member—were discovered “piled together in a black mesh bag, buried in a mass grave in a brutal and degrading manner that violates human dignity.”
Call for Investigation
The PRCS has called for those responsible for the massacre to be held accountable, saying “it reflects a dangerous pattern of repeated violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Targeting ambulance crews bearing the Red Crescent emblem—protected under the Geneva Conventions—constitutes a war crime,” the organization stated.
‘War Crime’ – PRCS Urges Independent Probe into ‘Massacre’ of Medics
Chilling footage retrieved from the phone of one of the paramedics, Refaat Radwan, captured his final moments.
“Forgive me, Mother… this is the path I chose to help people. The army has arrived,” he said in the footage, which lasted just over six minutes. It was made public last month by the New York Times, shedding light on the horrifying reality of this targeted attack on medical personnel.
Israeli Narrative Refuted
The video directly contradicts the narrative put forth by the Israeli army, which had previously claimed that its forces did not “randomly attack ambulances” but had instead targeted “suspicious” vehicles.
According to Israeli officials, their forces opened fire after observing vehicles approaching without emergency lights.
However, the video unmistakably shows that the ambulances and fire trucks were clearly marked, with their emergency lights activated, and the paramedics were wearing reflective uniforms designated for emergency response.
According to the New York Times report, the authenticity of the video has been verified by independent sources, including a senior UN diplomat, who confirmed its location, timing, and accuracy.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
He’s lucky to be alive. The Israeli Nazis are savages.