Red Crescent calls for inquiry into Israel's killing of Gaza paramedics
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has called for an independent international inquiry into Israel's killing of 15 emergency workers in southern Gaza.
The organisation released the full video found on the phone of one of its eight paramedics who died when troops fired at a convoy of ambulances on 23 March, which it said constituted a "fully fledged war crime".
It called on those responsible to be held to account.
Israel's military said on Monday that a preliminary inquiry indicated troops "opened fire due to a perceived threat following a previous encounter in the area, and that six of the individuals killed in the incident were identified as Hamas terrorists", without giving evidence.
A Red Crescent paramedic who survived has denied his colleagues were linked with any armed groups.
The Israeli military initially said its troops fired on "suspicious vehicles" driving with their lights off.
On Saturday, it admitted that initial version of events was "mistaken" after the last part of the paramedic's video was released showing the convoy was using its emergency lights.
The bodies of the eight Red Crescent paramedics, six Civil Defence first responders and one UN staff member were recovered from a shallow grave a week after their deaths, once the UN was able to obtain safe passage to the area.
The 18-minute video released on Monday was filmed by paramedic Rifaat Radwan.
At the start of the footage, he can be heard talking with his colleague Asaad al-Nassasra - whose fate remains unknown - as their ambulance drives along an unlit road at night-time.
A second ambulance then approaches from the other direction, and Radwan and Nassasra decide to travel with them in a convoy following a conversation with its driver.
Later, a fire engine and a third ambulance - all with their flashing emergency lights clearly visible - are seen overtaking Radwan's vehicle shortly before they reach a van on the roadside.
The emergency vehicles pull over and the sound of gunfire begins just as Radwan gets out. It continues for more than five minutes and Radwan is heard saying his last prayers, before the voices of Israeli soldiers are heard approaching.
Reuters
