Umm Mohammed reflects on her son's brave humanitarian efforts and calls for accountability as investigations ensue
Gaza Medic's Death Marks Tragic Loss Amid Conflict
Gaza Medic's Death Marks Tragic Loss Amid Conflict
Mother of paramedic killed by Israeli troops laments loss during Eid celebrations
With heavy hearts, Palestinian families are grappling with the growing number of casualties amid ongoing violence in Gaza.
"My heart and soul died when Rifaat was killed," expressed Hajjah Umm Mohammed, the devastated mother of Rifaat Radwan, a 23-year-old paramedic among 15 emergency workers shot dead by Israeli troops in Rafah, Gaza last month. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded on March 23 when Rifaat was inside a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulance, part of a convoy responding to distress calls in an area her family believed was safe, marked as 'green' for ambulances.
Umm Mohammed recounted her disbelief when she learned that Rifaat's ambulance had come under fire. Initial claims from the Israeli military suggested that troops reacted to what they deemed a suspicious approach lacking visible emergency signals. But video footage recovered from Rifaat’s phone contradicted this narrative, displaying the vehicles with their lights on while they tried to assist the wounded during an Israeli airstrike.
In the poignant video, Rifaat addressed his mother, “Forgive me, mother… this is the path I chose to help people," as the sounds of gunfire surrounded him. Umm Mohammed believes he was seeking her forgiveness, anticipating the heartbreak that would follow.
"He was absolutely beautiful," she said, describing her son who was the primary supporter of his family as siblings had moved on with their own lives. On the day of his death after responding to reports of casualties, she lamented, "I didn’t know he would be one of them." It would take a week after the attack for their grief to culminate in retrieving his body from a hospital, a task marred by the emotional turmoil of a stained Eid al-Fitr celebration, where she instead faced collecting his remains.
The Israeli military has altered its account of the events following the emergence of the video evidence, with a senior official admitting initial assessments were mistaken. The official suggested that troops perceived the paramedics as a threat, linking them to prior encounters in the vicinity without providing substantiated evidence.
Moreover, the PRCS has vehemently called for an independent international investigation into what they characterize as deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers, arguing that lethal attacks on medical personnel constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Survivor Munther Abed, who was part of the convoy and managed to escape by taking cover in the ambulance, emotionally recounted witnessing the deaths of his colleagues. He detailed harrowing moments post-attack, emphasizing the deep losses encountered with each member of his team treated as family.
As drones and bombardments continue, comments from the PRCS highlight the grave nature of the situation, noting the staggering loss of 27 PRCS colleagues who died while serving humanity during such crisis times.
The broader context reveals that more than 50,000 deaths have been reported in Gaza since intensifying conflict escalated that began on October 7, 2023, marking a period of mourning for countless families. Investigations into variants of reported incidents continue as pleas for peace and justice echo through the streets, while the community seeks refuge from further tragedies.
"My heart and soul died when Rifaat was killed," expressed Hajjah Umm Mohammed, the devastated mother of Rifaat Radwan, a 23-year-old paramedic among 15 emergency workers shot dead by Israeli troops in Rafah, Gaza last month. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded on March 23 when Rifaat was inside a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulance, part of a convoy responding to distress calls in an area her family believed was safe, marked as 'green' for ambulances.
Umm Mohammed recounted her disbelief when she learned that Rifaat's ambulance had come under fire. Initial claims from the Israeli military suggested that troops reacted to what they deemed a suspicious approach lacking visible emergency signals. But video footage recovered from Rifaat’s phone contradicted this narrative, displaying the vehicles with their lights on while they tried to assist the wounded during an Israeli airstrike.
In the poignant video, Rifaat addressed his mother, “Forgive me, mother… this is the path I chose to help people," as the sounds of gunfire surrounded him. Umm Mohammed believes he was seeking her forgiveness, anticipating the heartbreak that would follow.
"He was absolutely beautiful," she said, describing her son who was the primary supporter of his family as siblings had moved on with their own lives. On the day of his death after responding to reports of casualties, she lamented, "I didn’t know he would be one of them." It would take a week after the attack for their grief to culminate in retrieving his body from a hospital, a task marred by the emotional turmoil of a stained Eid al-Fitr celebration, where she instead faced collecting his remains.
The Israeli military has altered its account of the events following the emergence of the video evidence, with a senior official admitting initial assessments were mistaken. The official suggested that troops perceived the paramedics as a threat, linking them to prior encounters in the vicinity without providing substantiated evidence.
Moreover, the PRCS has vehemently called for an independent international investigation into what they characterize as deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers, arguing that lethal attacks on medical personnel constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Survivor Munther Abed, who was part of the convoy and managed to escape by taking cover in the ambulance, emotionally recounted witnessing the deaths of his colleagues. He detailed harrowing moments post-attack, emphasizing the deep losses encountered with each member of his team treated as family.
As drones and bombardments continue, comments from the PRCS highlight the grave nature of the situation, noting the staggering loss of 27 PRCS colleagues who died while serving humanity during such crisis times.
The broader context reveals that more than 50,000 deaths have been reported in Gaza since intensifying conflict escalated that began on October 7, 2023, marking a period of mourning for countless families. Investigations into variants of reported incidents continue as pleas for peace and justice echo through the streets, while the community seeks refuge from further tragedies.
