Outrage Grows Over Israel’s Execution of 15 Gaza Medics and Rescue Workers

Outrage is rising over Israel’s killing of 15 Palestinian medics and rescue employees north of the Gazan metropolis of Rafah within the predawn hours of March 23. Israel initially claimed the convoy had suspiciously approached troops with out headlights or flashing lights, however video footage exhibits the ambulances had their lights on when Israeli troops opened fireplace, unleashing a barrage of bullets. A paramedic who was contained in the car when it got here below fireplace recorded the video on a cellphone and was among the many 15 assist employees killed and buried in an unmarked mass grave. Diana Buttu, a Palestinian human rights legal professional, calls the killing “the peak of dehumanization.”

TRANSCRIPT

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AMY GOODMAN: For the second time since January, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C., right this moment to satisfy with President Trump as Israel expands its floor invasion of Gaza. In line with the U.N. reduction company UNRWA, Israeli assaults have killed or injured at the least 100 youngsters in Gaza day-after-day since Israel broke the ceasefire in mid-March.

This comes as Israel has killed at the least 56 Palestinians over the previous 25 hours. In a single day, Israel struck a tent housing journalists close to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The blast set off a hearth that killed two individuals, together with the journalist Helmi al-Faqawi, who was burned alive. One other journalist, Hasan Eslayeh, was severely wounded within the assault.

In the meantime, outrage is rising over Israel’s killing of 15 Palestinian medics and emergency employees in Gaza who have been found in an unmarked mass grave final week. Footage recovered of the assault exhibits the ambulances within the convoy had their lights on when Israeli troops opened fireplace. Israel had initially claimed the convoy had suspiciously approached troops with their lights off. Cellphone video of Israel’s assault was recorded by a paramedic who was contained in the car when it got here below fireplace, was among the many 15 assist employees who have been killed.

That’s the sound of gunfire from Israeli troopers. An Israeli army spokesperson stated in an announcement that its troops, quote, “didn’t randomly assault an ambulance on March 23,” and that, quote, “following an preliminary evaluation, it was decided that the forces had eradicated a Hamas army operative, Mohammad Amin Ibrahim Shubaki, who took half within the October 7 bloodbath, together with eight different terrorists from Hamas and the Islamic Jihad,” they stated.

Nicely, on Saturday, the longtime Palestinian politician and physician Mustafa Barghouti marched in a protest in Ramallah.

DR. MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI: The Israeli military dedicated a horrible warfare crime by attacking first assist suppliers and medics within the Crimson Crescent Society whereas they have been of their ambulances, clearly marked, with their sirens on, with their lights on. Nonetheless, they attacked them and killed them one after the opposite. And after killing them, and perhaps a few of them have been nonetheless wounded, they buried them with sand, they and their ambulances. What the Israeli military did in Rafah — and that’s what The New York Occasions have uncovered — was a horrible warfare crime.

AMY GOODMAN: The U.N. Workplace for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated the individuals have been buried in a mass grave, with the ambulance additionally buried. A few of their our bodies have been discovered with their fingers or legs tied and had gunshot wounds to the pinnacle and chest.

That is Palestine Crimson Crescent Society media director Raed al-Nams addressing reporters Sunday.

RAED AL-NAMS: [translated] These are thought of crimes in opposition to humanity and warfare crimes. The worldwide group should intervene to cease and compel Israel to respect worldwide conventions and the principles of worldwide humanitarian regulation, which prohibit the focusing on of suppliers of well being providers and ambulances throughout warfare and battle.

AMY GOODMAN: For extra, we’re joined by Diana Buttu, longtime Palestinian human rights legal professional, former adviser to the negotiating staff of the Palestine Liberation Group. She has a brand new piece in Zeteo headlined “’Level-Clean Vary’: How Israel Executed 15 Medics and Rescue Employees in Gaza.”

Diana, welcome again to Democracy Now! Thanks for becoming a member of us from Haifa. If you can begin off by giving us the chronology of what occurred to the medics, the paramedics and the ambulance drivers, and what Israel first stated, after which, when the footage was taken from the cellphone of a lifeless paramedic, what then Israel has responded?

DIANA BUTTU: Nicely, what we all know, Amy, is that the Israeli military attacked an space in Rafah, a neighborhood in Rafah, Tel al-Sultan. And as has been the case over the course of the previous 12 months and a half — right this moment marks a 12 months and a half of this genocide — paramedics, Palestinian paramedics, went out to attempt to rescue individuals who have been there, in addition to to attempt to give them some medical providers. As has been the case from the start, the paramedics notified and gave phrase that they have been heading out. They’d their lights on as they’ve at all times had their lights on. And nonetheless, what we do know is that the Israeli military then attacked the ambulances that have been going there — not simply attacked these ambulances, however then shot at these people point-blank vary. A lot of them have been really discovered with their fingers and their ft certain. And several other of them have been discovered with greater than 20 gunshot wounds to the pinnacle and to the chest.

To make issues then worse, we then have a bunch of troopers who then resolve that they’re going to bury these ambulances, and they also dug a mass grave and buried the ambulances on this mass grave. It took a number of days to have the ability to discover these paramedics, as a result of they’d gone lacking and no one was capable of finding them, earlier than individuals have been then in a position to uncover them and the ambulances.

Now, after all, as is at all times the case, Israel at all times claims that, oops, that we didn’t do it. Then they deflect and say, “Oh, it occurred to be someone who was wished.” And, after all, each of those are in opposition to the principles of worldwide regulation. However then, solely when it turned clear that there was footage that the paramedics had finished all the things proper, that we now hear that the Israelis at the moment are claiming that they buried the ambulance — get this, Amy — to be able to forestall the individuals from being eaten by wild animals.

In different phrases, what they’ve finished repeatedly is be capable to get away with point-blank executions, with finishing up mass — with digging up mass graves, and committing these warfare crimes, and all that they need to say, repeatedly, is “Oops, sorry,” and no one is holding them to account.

We now have over 409 medics who’ve been killed by Israel over the course of the previous 18 months. There have been scores who’re nonetheless remaining in jail, a lot of them being tortured. All of those are assaults in opposition to the medical system. And that is deliberate. And it’s taking place as a result of no one is stopping Israel.

AMY GOODMAN: I imply, it’s very fascinating that The Occasions of Israel said that the military defended burying the our bodies in an unmarked grave, claiming that is “an accepted and common apply throughout combating in Gaza,” and as you identified, to stop the animals. But it surely’s a regular apply to bury individuals in graves. And that why the ambulances? Buried all proof, they tried to cowl up?

DIANA BUTTU: Sure, and that is the issue, Amy, is that you must take into consideration the degrees of criminality, the extent of dehumanization that it takes for not only one, however a number of of those troopers to have the ability to assume via and say, one, “We’re going to shoot at ambulances,” two, “We’re going to tie them up,” three, “We’re going to execute them,” after which, 4, “We’re going to bury them, in addition to the ambulances.” It’s such the peak of dehumanization. And since no one’s holding Israel to account, they proceed to get away with it.

AMY GOODMAN: Why is Prime Minister Netanyahu in Washington right this moment for a second time? He talked about he’s going to be speaking about tariffs on Israel and different points. However why, do you assume?

DIANA BUTTU: I feel it’s for 2 causes. One is, I feel he’s making an attempt to get much more weapons to be despatched to Israel. And second is, I feel he actually needs to cement the Trump plan, the Trump plan of ethnic cleaning, this plan that was unveiled again in January of this 12 months. And I say this as a result of Netanyahu has made it clear, since he broke the ceasefire on March the 18th, exactly what it’s that he needs to do. He’s been saying repeatedly that he intends to go in any case of Gaza. And he’s made it clear that he’s been doing so, however that he intends to implement the Trump plan.

And so, I feel he’s searching for extra backing by this administration to be able to perform this plan. And the one means that he’ll be capable to ethnically cleanse 2 million individuals from the Gaza Strip is thru the usage of mass weaponry and thru the strain, the diplomatic strain, that the US will undoubtedly carry to bear in opposition to Palestinians and, after all, in opposition to the remainder of the Arab world. It’s clear what Netanyahu needs to do. The query turns into whether or not anyone goes to cease him.

AMY GOODMAN: I wished to get your response, Diana Buttu, to what occurred in a single day, Israel hanging a tent housing journalists close to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The video is horrifying. The blast units up this fireplace, and also you see a journalist, Helmi al-Faqawi, sitting in a chair burning alive as different journalists attempt to rescue him. One other journalist was severely wounded within the assault. This was a tent of journalists. Your response?

DIANA BUTTU: What Israel has been making an attempt to do is to kill anyone who’s persevering with to bear witness and to carry to mild Israel’s crimes. This is the reason we’ve now seen that that is 211 journalists that Israel has killed. Extra journalists have been killed in Gaza than in some other place all over the world. This is the reason they’re going after medics. This is the reason they’re going after the United Nations. This is the reason they’re going after particular person civilians, as properly, is that they need to guarantee that they proceed to hold out this genocide with out anyone reporting on it.

And the truth that we haven’t seen international outrage over this mass killing of journalists and the mass killing of medics and of U.N. employees and so forth simply exhibits the peak of dehumanization. It’s excessive time that folks get up and understand that Israel is doing this for a motive, and so they proceed to get away with it as a result of no one is stopping them.

AMY GOODMAN: I need to additionally ask you about what occurred within the occupied West Financial institution, Israeli troopers capturing lifeless a 14-year-old Palestinian American boy named Omar Mohammad Rabea throughout a raid of the city of Turmus Aya. Two different Palestinian American boys, 14 and 15, have been injured. The Palestinian International Ministry condemned what it referred to as the “extrajudicial killing.” Israel acknowledged capturing the boys. They accused them of rock throwing, Diana Buttu.

DIANA BUTTU: Sure, that is, once more, one other instance, Amy, of the degrees of dehumanization and the truth that Israeli troopers are given orders of shoot to kill. I don’t assume that we must be dwelling in a world by which 13- and 14- and 15-year-old youngsters are condemned to demise as a result of they’re making an attempt to withstand army occupation, threw a stone. And but these are the directions and the orders that the Israeli military has given to its troopers, which is shoot and kill, and we’ll then present cowl for you eternally. This is the reason we’ve by no means seen any Israeli troopers be held to account for the killings of youngsters, for the killings of journalists, for the killings of medics, and so forth.

AMY GOODMAN: After which you could have the state of affairs of well being officers saying 600,000 youngsters in Gaza are prone to everlasting paralysis as a result of Israel is barring the entry of polio vaccines to Gaza as a part of its broader general blockade. And in accordance with UNRWA, Israeli assaults have killed or injured 100 youngsters a day since Israel broke the ceasefire. Diana Buttu, there have been protests all around the nation, together with these protesting round Israel’s warfare on Gaza and U.S. help for that warfare. Hundreds marched in Washington in a separate protest outdoors the “Fingers Off!” protest. And lots of joined the “Fingers Off!” protest who felt this manner. What do you consider the U.S. function and what the U.S. can do, as Netanyahu meets with Trump?

DIANA BUTTU: Look, the U.S. has been complicit, and it’s been Israel’s largest provider. This isn’t simply an Israeli genocide in opposition to Palestinians; it is a U.S.-backed Israeli genocide in opposition to Palestinians.

And the necessary a part of that is that Should you take a look at who makes up the Palestinian individuals, significantly in Gaza, greater than 50% are youngsters. Greater than 50% are below the age of 18. And when individuals discuss genocide, I feel the component that’s largely ignored is that we’re not simply speaking concerning the variety of people who find themselves killed or the variety of people who find themselves injured. It’s concerning the particular intent to attempt to kill off a bunch of individuals. If you deny them healthcare, whenever you deny them the power to have entry to medication as we’re seeing, as we’re seeing with the polio vaccine, as we’re seeing with the bombing of all 36 hospitals within the Gaza Strip, you may see the particular intent to commit and perform genocide, to eradicate a whole group. And it’s now the kids who’re in Israel’s goal. They’re those who’re in Israel’s crosshairs, as they at all times have been.

The issues that may be particularly finished are to guarantee that that weapons provide doesn’t make it to Israel. With out U.S. weaponry, the Israeli military can’t proceed its assault on Gaza to this identical extent. We additionally need to be pushing to guarantee that Israel is ostracized and that the worldwide mechanisms are in place to guarantee that persons are held to account. With out this, we will simply see what the following steps are going to be. And Netanyahu has made it clear: He needs to eliminate Palestinians. He’s made it clear that he needs to see ethnic cleaning, and he’s made it clear that he needs to see genocide. And it’s as much as us to be doing all the things to cease it.

AMY GOODMAN: So, we solely have a minute, however I wished to ask you about this final query. Netanyahu went to Hungary to satisfy with Orbán, and so Hungary pulled out of the Worldwide Felony Courtroom so it wouldn’t need to arrest him. There’s an ICC warrant for him for warfare crimes and crimes in opposition to humanity. Then, when Netanyahu flew from Hungary to the US, he took a longer-than-usual flight path to keep away from flying over international locations, together with Eire and Iceland, which may implement an arrest warrant from the Worldwide Felony Courtroom if the aircraft needed to make an emergency touchdown. The importance of this?

DIANA BUTTU: The importance of that is that the locations by which Netanyahu is ready to go are getting smaller and smaller and smaller. And it’s only a query of time earlier than we start to see a world alliance to guarantee that this warfare felony is held to account. He’s made it clear that he needs to inflict genocide. He’s made the insurance policies of hunger clear. There’s been nothing coming into Gaza since March the 2nd. And this house for him to have the ability to journey is getting smaller and smaller and smaller. I imagine it’s only a query of time earlier than the system catches as much as him. No less than I hope it’s.

AMY GOODMAN: Diana Buttu, Palestinian human rights legal professional, former adviser to the negotiating staff of the Palestine Liberation Group. We’ll hyperlink to your piece in Zeteo, “’Level-Clean Vary’: How Israel Executed 15 Medics and Rescue Employees in Gaza.”

After we come again, voices of the mass protests all over the world. Over 1,000,000 marched, telling President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, “Fingers Off!”

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AMY GOODMAN: “Femmes du Monde,” “Ladies of the World,” by Amadou & Mariam in 2018 in our Democracy Now! studio. The Malian guitarist and singer Amadou Bagayoko died final week on the age of 70.