Israeli troops killed 15 Palestinian medics and buried them in a mass grave, UN says

Relatives mourn during the funeral procession for members of the Palestine Red Crescent and other emergency services who were killed a week earlier by Israeli forces, at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on March 31, 2025. (AFP)
Relatives mourn during the funeral procession for members of the Palestine Red Crescent and other emergency services who were killed a week earlier by Israeli forces, at Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on March 31, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 31 March 2025
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Israeli troops killed 15 Palestinian medics and buried them in a mass grave, UN says

Israeli troops killed 15 Palestinian medics and buried them in a mass grave, UN says
  • Dead included 8 Red Crescent workers, 6 members of Civil Defense emergency unit and UNRWA staffer

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Palestinians held funerals Monday for 15 medics and emergency responders killed by Israeli troops in southern Gaza, after their bodies and mangled ambulances were found buried in an impromptu mass grave, apparently plowed over by Israeli military bulldozers.
The Palestinian Red Crescent says the slain workers and their vehicles were clearly marked as medical and humanitarian personnel and accused Israeli troops of killing them “in cold blood.” The Israeli military says its troops opened fire on vehicles that approached them “suspiciously” without identification.
The dead included eight Red Crescent workers, six members of Gaza’s Civil Defense emergency unit and a staffer from UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestinians. The International Red Cross/Red Crescent said it was the deadliest attack on its personnel in eight years.
Since the war in Gaza began 18 months ago, Israel has killed more than 100 Civil Defense workers and more than 1,000 health workers, according to the UN
Here is what we know about what happened.
Missing for days
The emergency teams had been missing since March 23, when they went at around noon to retrieve casualties after Israeli forces launched an offensive into the Tel Al-Sultan district of the southern city of Rafah.
The military had called for an evacuation of the area earlier that day, saying Hamas militants were operating there. Alerts by the Civil Defense at the time said displaced Palestinians sheltering in the area had been hit and a team that went to rescue them was “surrounded by Israeli troops.”
“The available information indicates that the first team was killed by Israeli forces on 23 March,” the UN said in a statement Sunday night.
Further emergency teams that went to rescue the first team were “struck one after another over several hours,” it said. All the teams went out during daylight hours, according to the Civil Defense.
The Israeli military said Sunday that on March 23, troops opened fire on vehicles that were “advancing suspiciously” toward them without emergency signals.
It said “an initial assessment” determined that the troops killed a Hamas operative named Mohammed Amin Shobaki and eight other militants. Israel has struck ambulances and other emergency vehicles in the past, accusing Hamas militants of using them for transportation.
However, none of the dead staffers from the Red Crescent and Civil Defense had that name, and no other bodies were reported found at the site, raising questions over the military’s suggestion that alleged militants were among the rescue workers.
The military did not immediately respond to requests for the names of the other alleged militants killed or for comment on how the emergency workers came to be buried.
After a ceasefire that lasted roughly two months, Israel relaunched its military campaign in Gaza on March 18. Since then, bombardment and new ground assaults that have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it says over half those killed are women and children.
Aid workers say ambulance teams and humanitarian staff have come under fire in the renewed assault. A worker with the charity World Central Kitchen was killed Friday by an Israeli strike that hit next to a kitchen distributing free meals. A March 19 Israeli tank strike on a UN compound killed a staffer, the UN said, though Israel denies being behind the blast.
Mass grave
For days, Israeli forces would not allow access to the site where the emergency teams disappeared, the UN said.
On Wednesday, a UN convoy tried to reach the site but encountered Israeli troops opening fire on people.
The convoy saw a woman who had been shot lying in the road. The dashboard video shows staff talking about retrieving the woman. Then two people are seen walking across the road. Gunfire rings out and they flee. One stumbles, apparently wounded, before he is shot and falls onto his face to the ground. The UN said the team retrieved the body of the woman and left.
On Sunday, the UN said teams were able to reach the site after the Israeli military informed it where it had buried the bodies, in a barren area on the edges of Tel Al-Sultan. Footage released by the UN shows workers from PRCS and Civil Defense, wearing masks and bright orange vests, digging through hills of dirt that appeared to have been piled up by Israeli bulldozers.
The footage shows them digging out multiple bodies wearing orange emergency vests. Some of the bodies are found piled on top of each other. At one point, they pull out a body in a Civil Defense vest out of the dirt, and it is revealed to be a torso with no legs. Several ambulances and a UN vehicle, all heavily damaged or torn apart, are also buried in the dirt.
“Their bodies were gathered and buried in this mass grave,” said Jonathan Whittall, with the UN humanitarian office OCHA, speaking at the site in the video. “We’re digging them out in their uniforms, with their gloves on. They were here to save lives.”
“It’s absolute horror what has happened here,” he said.
Funerals
A giant crowd gathered on Monday outside the morgue of Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis as the bodies of the eight slain PRCS workers were brought out for funerals. Their bodies were laid out on stretchers wrapped in white cloth with the Red Crescent logo on it and their photos, as family and others held funeral prayers over them. Funerals for the seven others followed.
“They were killed in cold blood by the Israeli occupation, despite the clear nature of their humanitarian mission,” Raed Al-Nimis, the Red Crescent spokesperson in Gaza, told the AP.
Israeli troops have killed at least 30 Red Crescent medics over the course of the war. Among them were two killed in February 2024 when they tried to rescue Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old girl who was killed along with six other relatives when they were trapped in their car under Israeli fire in northern Gaza.
From Geneva, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Jagan Chapagain, said the staffer killed last week “wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked.”
“All humanitarians must be protected,” he said.


Jordan condemns Israeli strike on Gaza’s European Hospital

Jordan condemns Israeli strike on Gaza’s European Hospital
Updated 15 sec ago
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Jordan condemns Israeli strike on Gaza’s European Hospital

Jordan condemns Israeli strike on Gaza’s European Hospital
  • Attack left medical facility inoperable, killed at least 28 people

AMMAN: Jordan strongly condemned on Friday Israel’s targeting of the European Hospital in Khan Younis this week, which left the medical facility inoperable and killed at least 28 people, the Jordan News Agency has reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates described the strike as a “blatant violation” of international humanitarian law, international legal norms, and the 1949 Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilians in Time of War.

Sufian Al-Qudah, the spokesperson for the ministry, reiterated Jordan’s firm opposition to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.

He condemned what he described as the systematic targeting of civilians and vital infrastructure, and accused Israel of using blockade and starvation tactics to forcibly displace Palestinians.

Al-Qudah also warned of the grave implications Israel’s actions could have on regional security and stability.

He urged the international community to uphold its moral and legal responsibilities by putting pressure on Israel to end its military campaign in Gaza, allow the delivery of humanitarian aid through open crossings, and recognize Palestinians’ right to establish an independent state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The strike drew international condemnation after British doctor Tom Potokar released footage from inside the hospital showing the aftermath of the attack.

The consultant plastic surgeon, who is working in Gaza, told the BBC that six bombs hit the hospital, which resulted in a scene of “absolute mayhem.”


Israel threatens Houthi leaders after striking Yemen ports

Israel threatens Houthi leaders after striking Yemen ports
Updated 24 min 43 sec ago
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Israel threatens Houthi leaders after striking Yemen ports

Israel threatens Houthi leaders after striking Yemen ports
  • Israeli strikes hit Hodeida, a key entry point for aid, and Salif further north
  • Netanyahu warns there is “more to come” despite US agreement

HODEIDA Yemen: Israel threatened to target the leadership of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis after the air force struck two Yemeni ports on Friday, following repeated Houthi missile attacks in recent days.
The Houthis agreed earlier this month to stop firing on international shipping in the Red Sea after the United States stepped up air strikes on Houthi-held areas with British support.
But the Houthis vowed to keep up their strikes on Israel despite the deal and fired three missiles in as many days this week that triggered air raid warnings in major cities.
The Houthis’ Al-Masirah television reported strikes on the Red Sea port city of Hodeida, a key entry point for aid, as well as the port of Salif further north, without immediately mentioning any casualties.
Israel’s military confirmed striking the two ports, saying it “dismantled terrorist infrastructure sites” belonging to the Iran-backed Houthis.
It noted that prior warnings had been issued to civilians in both areas.
“These ports are used to transfer weapons and are a further example of the Houthi terrorist regime’s systematic and cynical exploitation of civilian infrastructure in order to advance terrorist activities,” a military statement said.
The Houthis, who have controlled large swathes of Yemen for more than a decade, began firing at Israel-linked shipping in November 2023, weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
They later broadened their campaign to target Israel, saying it was in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Houthi leadership there was “more to come” after Friday’s strikes.
“We are not willing to sit on the sidelines and let the Houthis attack us. We will hit them far more, including their leadership and all the infrastructure that allows them to hit us,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Houthi leaders that if the missile attacks continue, they face the same fate as Hamas leaders slain by Israel in Gaza.
“If the Houthis continue to fire, we will also hit the heads of the terror groups, just as we did to (slain Hamas military chief Mohammed) Deif and (the) Sinwars (Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar and his brother Mohammed Sinwar) in Gaza,” Katz said in a post.
“We will also hunt down and eliminate the Houthi leader, Abd Al-Malek Al-Houthi.”
In early May, a Houthi missile struck an area at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, gouging a hole near its main terminal building and wounding several people in a rare penetration of Israeli air defenses.
Israel retaliated by striking the airport in Yemen’s Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa and three nearby power stations.
The UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said the exchange marked a “dangerous escalation” and was a reminder that the war-torn country is “ensnared in the wider regional tensions.”


British lawmakers praise Jordan’s role in regional peace efforts

British lawmakers praise Jordan’s role in regional peace efforts
Updated 16 May 2025
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British lawmakers praise Jordan’s role in regional peace efforts

British lawmakers praise Jordan’s role in regional peace efforts
  • Politicians stress value of Jordanian-British relations, necessity of strategic partnership
  • “Jordan plays an important role in consolidating stability in the Middle East,” said MP Hamilton

DUBAI: British lawmakers have applauded Jordan’s role in maintaining regional stability and providing aid to the Gaza Strip.

The comments came in an interview with the Jordan News Agency’s correspondent in London.

The visit was at the invitation of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and was headed by MP Zuhair Khashman of the Jordanian delegation.

British politicians stressed the value of Jordanian-British relations and the necessity of their strategic partnership.

“Jordan plays an important role in consolidating stability in the Middle East,” said MP Fabian Hamilton, chairman of the BGIPU.

Hamilton added that there were three key reasons for its role in helping to stabilize the Middle East: its vital geographical location, its political stability, and the leadership of King Abdullah II.

Baroness Gloria Hooper, a member of the House of Lords, said a two-state solution in the region was essential to securing lasting peace. She also made note of the UK’s public opinion on the war in Gaza.

She added: “Despite growing pressure in Parliament on the British government to take more measures to stop the Israeli war on Gaza, we need to increase and redouble these efforts.”

MP Alistair Carmichael, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Jordan Group, said: “The situation in Gaza is continuously deteriorating, making support for Jordanian humanitarian efforts a top priority.”

MP Bambos Charalambous said that “the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza cannot be dealt with by individual efforts or through a single country alone, but through broad international partnerships.”


Gaza, Sudan most at risk as global starvation approaches 300m: Report

Gaza, Sudan most at risk as global starvation approaches 300m: Report
Updated 16 May 2025
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Gaza, Sudan most at risk as global starvation approaches 300m: Report

Gaza, Sudan most at risk as global starvation approaches 300m: Report
  • Populations of both face ‘starvation, death, destitution and high rates of acute malnutrition’
  • War, aid cuts, climate among issues causing food shortages in Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia

LONDON: Almost 300 million people face death from starvation, with the most at risk in war-torn Gaza and Sudan, the latest Global Report on Food Crises has warned.

The report said 295.3 million people have been identified as facing “high levels of acute food insecurity” after a sixth consecutive year of the global number growing, with people in South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan also noted as being at particular risk.

Cuts to humanitarian aid budgets and escalating conflicts were highlighted as having pushed as many as 13.7 million people into chronic food insecurity over the past 12 months.

The report noted that the number of people most at risk of food shortages as defined by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification had more than doubled in that period, and that 95 percent of those were in Gaza and Sudan.

It added that the populations of both face “starvation, death, destitution and high rates of acute malnutrition.”

More than half of Gaza’s approximately 2.1 million people face “catastrophe,” while Sudan has as many as 24 million people suffering food insecurity. Famine has been officially declared in the African country.

“Intensifying conflict, increasing geopolitical tensions, global economic uncertainty and profound funding cuts are deepening acute food insecurity,” the GRFC said.

“Following the closure of all crossings into the Gaza Strip in early March, and the collapse of the two-month ceasefire, food access has been severely restricted.”

The GRFC said 19 other countries are suffering from worsening food security “aggravated” by drought, highlighting Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia and Kenya.

War is also increasing several other countries’ food security, especially Nigeria and Myanmar.


UN peacekeepers attacked by civilians in Lebanon, no casualties reported

UN peacekeepers attacked by civilians in Lebanon, no casualties reported
Updated 16 May 2025
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UN peacekeepers attacked by civilians in Lebanon, no casualties reported

UN peacekeepers attacked by civilians in Lebanon, no casualties reported
  • The troops used non-lethal force to protect themselves and those present, according to UNIFIL
  • The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) were notified and arrived shortly after the incident

DUBAI: A large group of civilians wielding metal rods and axes attacked a patrol of UN troops in southern Lebanon on Friday, causing damage to UN vehicles but no injuries, a United Nations peacekeeping force said.

The UN troops used non-lethal force to protect themselves and those present, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), adding the patrol had been on a routine operation between the villages of Jmayjmeh and Khirbat Silim.

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) were notified and arrived shortly after the incident, escorting the patrol back to base.

UNIFIL said the patrol had been pre-planned and coordinated with the LAF.

The UN peacekeeping mission stressed that its mandate, under UN Security Council Resolution 1701, guarantees freedom of movement in its area of operations with or without LAF accompaniment.

On Wednesday, UNIFIL said that direct fire from the Israeli army had hit the perimeter of one of its peacekeeping positions in south Lebanon. UNIFIL said the incident on Tuesday was the first of its kind since Israel and Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire last November.