The International Red Cross has raised serious concerns about nine Palestine Red Crescent ambulance crew members who have been missing for seven days in Gaza after coming under heavy fire.
The medics lost contact with their organization in the early morning hours of March 23 while responding to calls in the Al-Hashashin area of Rafah. The ambulance teams encountered intense gunfire during their humanitarian mission, and no communication has been established with them since then.
"The families are living through a nightmare without knowing if their loved ones are alive," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) stated in their latest update on the situation.
The IFRC emphasized that International Humanitarian Law clearly mandates the protection and respect of healthcare and humanitarian workers in conflict zones. The organization is urgently requesting access to information about the missing medics and demanding their safe return.
The Palestine Red Crescent ambulance crews were carrying out their medical duties when the incident occurred. Their disappearance marks a serious breach of humanitarian protocols that safeguard medical personnel operating in conflict areas.
The Red Cross continues to work with relevant authorities to locate the missing crew members and secure their safe return to their families.