IDF Investigation Faces Scrutiny Over Killing of 15 Aid Workers Near Rafah

Conflicting accounts and video evidence challenge Israel's evolving narrative, as calls for an independent international probe intensify.

Fifteen aid workers, including paramedics, were shot dead near Rafah on March 23, with their bodies later discovered in a shallow grave by UN and Palestine Red Crescent officials.
Israel initially claimed soldiers fired on suspicious vehicles but later alleged six Hamas terrorists were among the dead, a claim yet to be substantiated with evidence.
Video footage and survivor testimony contradict Israel's initial explanation, showing clearly marked ambulances with flashing lights targeted by gunfire.
The Palestine Red Crescent has labeled the incident a war crime and has formally requested the UN Security Council to establish an independent investigation committee.
The IDF maintains an internal investigation is ongoing, asserting soldiers acted on surveillance alerts and denying allegations of close-range executions or handcuffing of victims.