US Urges Compliance with Humanitarian Law Amid Gaza Crisis

Amid escalating violence in Gaza, the US is reiterating the requirement for all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law, following reports of a mass grave containing the bodies of 15 individuals, including aid workers.

Mourners were seen gathering for a funeral in Gaza after the discovery of a mass grave containing 15 bodies, identified as paramedics, civil defense workers, and a UN official. The US expressed its expectation for "all parties on the ground" to respect international humanitarian law but did not specify whether it is conducting its own inquiry into the incident involving the Israeli military. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce indicated that all events in Gaza are a consequence of Hamas's actions.

According to reports by the UN's humanitarian agency, significant incidents occurred on March 23 when five ambulances and other emergency vehicles were systematically struck, leading to the tragic culmination of the deaths of healthcare workers, who were found still in their uniforms. The Israeli military stated that it targeted vehicles acting suspiciously, and claimed that militants were among the deceased, but did not address the accounts of civilians being buried in the mass grave.

Jonathan Whittall, a representative from the UN's humanitarian agency in Gaza, condemned the killings, asserting that healthcare professionals should never be targets in conflict. As the situation continues to deteriorate, Israel has been engaged in renewed military operations in Gaza since March 18, following stalled ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. The ongoing violence has resulted in over 1,000 casualties, while the health ministry in Gaza reports more than 50,350 fatalities since the conflict's escalation after a significant cross-border attack from Hamas on October 7, which left approximately 1,200 people dead and saw 251 hostages taken.