Autopsies Reveal Fatal Injuries of Gaza Medics Shot by Israeli Forces

The New York Times has released autopsy findings revealing that many of the paramedics and rescue workers slain in a March attack in Gaza were shot predominantly in the head and chest. The international response condemns the incident, which has been classified by experts as a possible war crime.

The paramedics and rescue workers killed in an Israeli shooting in Gaza last month suffered predominantly from gunshot wounds to the head or chest, according to autopsy reports acquired by The New York Times. These findings follow a March 23 incident in which Israeli troops fired upon ambulances and a fire truck operated by the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

Eyewitness accounts, alongside video and audio evidence, corroborate the series of shots fired at the emergency vehicles that resulted in the deaths of 15 individuals, including 14 rescue workers and a U.N. employee who happened to pass by during the attack. In the aftermath, reports detail that Israeli soldiers buried most of the bodies in a mass grave and destroyed the ambulances and fire truck, alongside the U.N. vehicle.

The Israeli military has provided various explanations for this aggressive action, maintaining without evidence that some of the deceased were affiliated with Hamas. They have stated that an internal investigation is underway regarding the killings. The incident has provoked widespread international condemnation, with many experts labeling it a potential war crime.

The autopsy process took place from April 1-5, as a team of aid workers retrieved the remains from southern Gaza. Reviews of the autopsy findings were conducted by Dr. Ahmad Dhair, the head of Gaza's health ministry's forensic unit, under the observation of Dr. Arne Stray-Pedersen, a forensic pathologist from Oslo University Hospital, who had previously visited Gaza to train local medical personnel.

This tragic event emphasizes the ongoing complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, spotlighting the extreme dangers faced by those risking their lives in humanitarian roles. The repercussions of such actions continue to resonate throughout the region and beyond, demanding accountability and a reevaluation of military engagement protocols in conflict zones.