A damning investigation published by Haaretz has revealed that Israeli forces knowingly targeted ambulance crews in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, firing on them for over three minutes despite being fully aware of their humanitarian status. The attack, which took place on 23 March 2025 in the al-Sultan refugee camp, left 12 paramedics and aid workers dead and has since become known among Palestinians as the "Massacre of the Paramedics."

According to internal field documents cited in the report, Israeli soldiers had prior intelligence about the movements of ambulances in the area. Yet, rather than avoid engagement, they opened fire from close range, even as the medics tried to identify themselves. The investigation highlighted a disturbing collapse in military protocol, citing “dangerous operational behaviour” and a failure in communication between ground forces and higher command.

This assault stands as one of the deadliest and most deliberate acts of violence against humanitarian personnel in Gaza’s history. For Palestinians, the murder of first responders—those who rush towards danger, not away from it—marks a horrifying escalation in an already merciless war. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has labelled the incident the most lethal attack on aid workers in nearly a decade.

International law is clear: targeting medical workers is a war crime. Yet despite mounting evidence and global outrage, accountability remains elusive. In Gaza, where hope is already threadbare, this crime has reinforced a devastating message—that even those who try to save lives are not safe from the barrel of occupation.

For many Palestinians, this massacre is not merely another atrocity. It is a painful reminder that in Gaza, even compassion has become a target.