Another Blood Libel? IDF faces accusations of executing medics in Gaza

Just a day after the United Nations claimed that 15 paramedics and other aid workers — including at least one UN employee — were killed in an Israeli airstrike and buried in a mass grave in Rafah eight days ago, The Guardian has published new testimonies shedding light on the circumstances of their deaths.

According to the left-leaning British outlet, eyewitnesses described how some of the bodies were found with their hands or legs bound and fatal gunshot wounds to the head or chest.

Dr. Ahmad al-Farra, a senior physician at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis where some of the bodies were taken, stated: “I saw three of the bodies with my own eyes — all had gunshot wounds to the chest and head. They were executed. Their hands were tied so they couldn’t move — and then they were shot.”

Al-Farra also provided photographs he claims to have taken, showing one of the victims with a black rope tied tightly around his wrist, visible beneath a long-sleeved black shirt.

It’s important to remember that the Palestinians have a history of fabricating evidence and spreading blood libels, so these claims should be taken with a grain of salt.

Another witness, an international aid worker involved in the recovery of the bodies, confirmed that at least one of the dead appeared to have been shot post-capture. “I saw the bodies myself in the mass grave. Many had bullet wounds to the chest. One had legs tied. Another was shot in the head. They were executed,” the witness told The Guardian, requesting anonymity.

The incident reportedly occurred on March 23, a day after Israel resumed its military offensive in the Rafah area. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the victims were part of a convoy of Palestinian Red Crescent and Civil Defense teams that had gone to rescue fellow medics targeted in an earlier attack.

Despite the convoy’s vehicles being clearly marked, witnesses say they were fired upon in the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood. Video footage released by the UN shows destroyed ambulances and a UN vehicle allegedly buried under sand, suggesting a cover-up attempt.

And maybe these were actually medical teams who were murdered by Hamas? Seems like The Guardian didn’t consider that possibility.

Dr. Bashar Murad, head of the Red Crescent's health programs in Gaza, said at least one body had its hands bound, and that one of the medics was on a call with dispatch when the strike occurred. “The gunfire could be heard on the call, from very close range. You could hear Israeli soldiers speaking Hebrew, telling the medics to surrender,” he said.

Mahmoud Bazal, spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense, said the bodies had as many as 20 bullet wounds each. “One of them had their legs tied. They were shot in the head and chest, executed, and dumped in a pit to prevent identification.”

The Israeli military confirmed it carried out a strike on March 23, saying several vehicles approached IDF forces “suspiciously, without headlights or emergency signals, and without prior coordination.” The IDF stated that it opened fire and killed Mohammad Amin Ibrahim Shubaki, a Hamas military operative, along with eight other militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

However, The Guardian notes that the IDF did not respond to specific questions regarding claims that the victims were executed after being captured, or that vehicles and bodies were buried to conceal the incident.

The Red Crescent says it took days to recover the remains due to military restrictions, with some bodies already showing signs of decomposition. Post-mortem examinations were reportedly conducted at Nasser Hospital, with full findings expected within ten days.

In parallel, the Israeli army issued an unusually broad evacuation order on Tuesday for Rafah and neighboring areas, warning civilians to relocate to al-Mawasi.