In brief
In the aftermath of a deadly incident involving Israeli troops, a mother mourns her son, Rifaat Radwan, a dedicated medic who was killed along with 14 others while on a humanitarian mission. Eyewitness accounts and emerging video evidence challenge official narratives, prompting calls for an investigation into the attack on emergency responders.
Hajjah Umm Mohammed recalls a devastating loss as she speaks about the day her son, 23-year-old Palestinian paramedic Rifaat Radwan, was killed during an Israeli military engagement in southern Gaza. Rifaat was part of a convoy of emergency vehicles, responding to calls for help after an airstrike, when they came under fire in a supposed safe 'green' area on March 23. "I never expected him to be killed," Umm Mohammed laments, still grappling with the shock of losing a child dedicated to helping others.The incident is part of a broader context of violence following Israel's military operations in Gaza after Hamas's unprecedented cross-border attack on October 7, 2023. Initially, the Israeli military claimed that the paramedic convoy moved suspiciously, which justifies their use of force. However, video footage recovered from Rifaat's phone contradicts this, revealing that the ambulance's lights were on and confirming their role as emergency responders."I entrusted Rifaat to God every time he went out to work," says his mother, who expresses pride in her son’s bravery but is consumed by grief over his loss. Instead of celebrating Eid al-Fitr, she had to collect his lifeless body and bear the pain of not even being able to say her final goodbyes due to its condition.The Israeli military's narrative has shifted following the emergence of the video evidence. An official later stated there were "mistakes" in the initial claims while asserting that the emergency workers were perceived as a potential threat due to previous encounters in the area. No evidence has been provided for the allegation that some victims were Hamas operatives.The Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has raised demands for an independent investigation, deeming the killings a "full-fledged war crime." Spokeswoman Nebal Farsakh stated the organization has lost numerous colleagues under similar circumstances and insists that humanitarian workers should never be targets. Fellow medic Munther Abed, who survived the ambush, described the horror of the moment and shared his experience of being arrested and tortured after witnessing the death of his colleagues.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has promised a thorough examination of the events but has faced criticism over its accountability and transparency in such incidents. Since the eruption of violence, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated sharply, with casualty numbers growing alarmingly.As Rifaat's mother mourns her son, she embodies the anguish of countless families impacted by ongoing conflict, highlighting the urgent need for protection of humanitarian workers and accountability for actions that violate international humanitarian law.
