The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) condemned on Sunday the Israeli occupation's targeting of Palestinian Red Crescent medics in Gaza, which resulted in the death of eight paramedics while they were carrying out their humanitarian duties. The Federation stated that this attack marks "the deadliest assault on Red Cross and Red Crescent personnel worldwide since 2017."

In a statement issued from Geneva, the IFRC confirmed the recovery of eight bodies from the Emergency Medical Team, which consisted of nine members. The team and their ambulances had gone missing after coming under heavy fire in the Al-Hashashin area of Rafah city on March 23.

The IFRC identified the slain paramedics as:

• Mustafa Khafaja

• Saleh Ma'mar

• Izz al-Din Shaath

• Volunteers: Mohammed Ba'loul, Mohammed Al-Haila, Ashraf Abu Lebda, Raed Al-Sharif, and Rif'at Radwan

The ninth team member, Asaad Al-Ansari, remains missing.

IFRC Secretary-General Jagan Chapagain reported that the number of Palestinian Red Crescent volunteers and staff killed since the beginning of the conflict has risen to 30. He called for the protection and respect of humanitarian workers and civilians, stressing the need to uphold international humanitarian law even in the most complex conflict zones. He emphasized the imperative to safeguard humanitarian personnel and healthcare services.

Earlier in the day, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced the death of eight of its paramedics who had lost contact several days prior after being targeted by Israeli occupation forces in Rafah, southern Gaza.