Humanitarian Response Report, March 2025 [EN/AR]

Israeli occupation killed eight PRCS medics in Rafah

On Saturday, March 23, 2025, Israeli occupation forces directly targeted a PRCS ambulance convoy in Rafah that led to the martyrdom of eight medical personnel: Mustafa Khafaja, Ezz Al-Din Shaat, Saleh Muammar, Rifaat Radwan, Mohammad, Abu Labda, Mohammad Al-Heela, and Raed Al-Sharif.

The convoy, visibly marked with their emergency lights on, was heading to evacuate the wounded after a house was bombed. Footage documented by the martyred medic Rifaat Radwan showed that the teams were directly targeted despite their clear humanitarian identity.

Despite efforts, occupation forces prevented rescue teams from entering the site for five days, after which limited access was granted. The team was able to recover the body of one civil defense member before being forced to withdraw. On March 30, the bodies of 14 workers from the Red Crescent, Civil Defense, and UNRWA were discovered, buried in a mass grave. Inspection of the site revealed that all ambulance and rescue vehicles had been completely destroyed and buried.

PRCS affirms that this tragedy constitutes a war crime under IHL. PRCS demands justice for the souls of our martyred medics and calls on the international community to conduct an independent international investigation to hold those responsible accountable and to put an end to the violations against medical and humanitarian teams.