Israel Matzav

Red Cross claims IDF killed two ambulance workers

Here we go again.

Al-AP is reporting this morning that the Red Cross claims that the IDF killed two clearly marked 'ambulance workers' on Friday night near Beit Hanoun.

The international Red Cross on Sunday deplored the killing by the Israel Defense Forces of two "clearly marked" ambulance workers removing a Palestinian body from an earlier Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip.

The paramedics of the Palestine Red Crescent Society were wearing clearly marked fluorescent jackets and the flashing lights of their ambulance were visible from a great distance when they were hit by Israeli fire after dark on Friday evening, said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

"The International Committee of the Red Cross is appalled by this failure to protect personnel engaged in emergency medical duties," a statement said.

"The individuals concerned and their means of transport were clearly marked with a distinctive emblem conferring the protection of the Geneva Conventions [on the conduct of warfare]," continued the same statement.

This is the IDF's activity summary for Friday night (posted to the IDF's web site on Saturday morning):

IDF forces uncovered a weapons-storage facility concealed in 3 adjacent buildings which contained large amounts of weaponry including anti-tank missiles, AK-47 assault rifles and grenades. The warehouse was feared to be booby-trapped and was detonated in a controlled manner by the forces. So far in the operation forces have uncovered 2 Qassam launchers, 4 anti-tank missiles, 32 AK-47s, 20 grenades, 2 pipe-bombs, various ammunition types, IDF uniforms, 14 protective vests and additional equipment.

The IDF carried out six aerial attacks in the northern Gaza Strip, targeting a cell of rocket launchers, two armed gunmen planting explosives near the forces, [Could those two be our 'ambulance workers'? CiJ] three groups of armed gunmen moving near the forces, and an explosive device planted near the forces.

The IDF carried out two aerial attacks- in the city of Rafah yesterday and in Gaza City this morning, targeting two vehicles of Hamas terrorists involved in the launching of rockets into Israel.

Recall the history of the Red Cross and the 'Palestinian' use of Red Crescent ambulances. In case you have forgotten, here's how one incident looked (not the one linked above):



I would not just take the Red Cross' word for this.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:23 AM