US Calls for Compliance with Humanitarian Law Amid Outrage Over Killing of Medics in Gaza

The United States has reiterated its expectation that “all parties on the ground” in Gaza adhere to international humanitarian law, following reports that an Israeli military strike killed 15 people, including paramedics, civil defence workers, and a UN official.

However, Washington declined to confirm whether it was conducting its own assessment into the incident.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, when asked about the killings, stated: “Every single thing that happens in Gaza is happening because of Hamas,” shifting responsibility for the ongoing violence onto the militant group.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the attack, which took place on 23 March, targeted five ambulances, a fire truck, and a UN vehicle.

The agency reported that the vehicles were struck “one by one” and that the bodies of the victims—some still in their medical uniforms—were gathered and buried in a mass grave.

The Israeli military defended its actions, claiming that its troops fired on vehicles “advancing suspiciously” without headlights or emergency signals.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) further alleged that a Hamas operative and other militants were among those killed, though it did not provide specific evidence or address the reports of the bodies being buried in the sand.

The Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations have condemned the attack, stressing that international humanitarian law prohibits targeting civilians and provides specific protections for medical personnel.

“Healthcare workers should never be a target,” said Jonathan Whittall, the head of the UN’s humanitarian agency in Gaza.

He described the scene of the mass grave as “an absolute horror” and noted that it had been “marked” with an emergency light from one of the ambulances hit in the strike.

The US, Israel’s largest arms supplier, is bound by its own laws prohibiting American weapons from being used by foreign militaries in violation of humanitarian law.

However, the Biden administration has yet to announce whether it will launch an independent investigation into the incident.

Israel renewed its air and ground campaign in Gaza on 18 March after ceasefire negotiations with Hamas stalled. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 1,000 people have been killed since the offensive resumed.

The war began following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on 7 October 2023, in which around 1,200 people in Israel were killed and 251 were taken hostage.

In response, Israel launched a military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas. According to Gaza’s health ministry, the conflict has so far claimed the lives of more than 50,350 people in the territory.

The latest strike has drawn widespread condemnation from international humanitarian organizations, with calls for accountability and adherence to laws protecting medical workers.

Despite the mounting death toll, prospects for a ceasefire remain uncertain as both sides continue to exchange hostilities.

This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members