The Palestinian Red Crescent Society was shocked by the death of eight of its paramedics in Rafah. The paramedics were targeted by the Israeli occupation forces while performing their humanitarian duty. They were heading to the Hashashin area of Rafah to provide first aid to a number of people injured by Israeli shelling in the area. A ninth paramedic remains missing. Six civil defense personnel and a UN employee were also recovered.

The paramedics are: Mustafa Khafaga, Ezz El-Din Shaat, Saleh Muammar, Raafat Radwan, Mohammed Bahlol, Ashraf Abu Labda, Mohammed Al-Hila, and Raed Al-Sharif.

It said: "This massacre of our crews is a tragedy not only for us at the Palestinian Red Crescent, but also for humanitarian work and humanity. The occupation's targeting of Red Crescent paramedics and their protected international emblem can only be considered a war crime punishable by international humanitarian law, which the occupation continues to violate in full view of the entire world, which has so far failed to take serious steps to prevent the occupation from continuing these blatant violations of international conventions against health and humanitarian workers."

The Association demands that the perpetrators of this war crime be held accountable, that an immediate and urgent investigation be conducted to ensure justice for the victims of this massacre, and that the fate of missing paramedic Asaad Al-Nasasra, whose whereabouts remain unknown, be revealed.

With the death of the eight paramedics, the number of martyrs from the association in the Gaza Strip has risen to 27, targeted by the occupation while performing their humanitarian duty in the Strip.

The Association renews its call on the international community, represented by the United Nations with all its bodies and institutions, the states parties to the Geneva Conventions, and all international human rights and humanitarian organizations, to fulfill their legal obligations by expediting the adoption of the necessary measures to compel the occupying state, "Israel," to immediately cease committing further grave violations against Palestinian medical personnel in particular and Palestinian civilians in general, and to fully comply with the principles and provisions of international humanitarian law and human rights law legally applicable to the occupied Palestinian territory, and to work to put a final end to the policy of impunity enjoyed by the occupying state.