The paramedics and rescue employees killed in an Israeli capturing in Gaza final month died primarily from gunshots to the top or chest, whereas others had shrapnel accidents or different wounds, in keeping with post-mortem stories obtained by The New York Instances.
Israeli troops had fired on ambulances and a hearth truck despatched by the Palestine Crimson Crescent Society and the Civil Protection, in keeping with witness accounts, video and audio of the March 23 assault.
Israel acknowledged finishing up the assault, which killed 15 males: 14 rescue employees and a United Nations worker who drove by after the others have been shot. Israeli troopers buried a lot of the our bodies in a mass grave, crushed the ambulances, hearth truck and a U.N. automobile, and buried these as nicely.
The Israeli army has supplied shifting explanations for why its troops fired on the emergency automobiles and stated, with out offering proof, that a few of the lifeless males had been Hamas operatives. Israel’s army stated it was investigating the killing.
The episode drew worldwide condemnation, and specialists described it as a battle crime.
The autopsies have been carried out between April 1 and April 5, in keeping with the stories, after a group of assist employees recovered the men’s bodies from southern Gaza. The Instances reviewed post-mortem outcomes for all the lads besides the U.N. worker. They have been carried out by Dr. Ahmad Dhair, the top of the Gazan well being ministry’s forensic medication unit.
Dr. Arne Stray-Pedersen, a forensic pathologist at Oslo College Hospital in Norway, who had been in Gaza earlier in March to coach medical doctors in forensic medication, reviewed images of the autopsies and consulted with Dr. Dhair to put in writing a abstract report.
The 14 males have been carrying both their Crimson Crescent or Civil Protection uniforms, partially or in complete, on the time of loss of life, the post-mortem stories stated. Video of part of the attack reveals that when Israeli troops started capturing at them, a couple of of the paramedics had exited their automobiles and have been clearly seen of their uniforms, with reflective bands throughout the again, legs and arms that shone brightly within the lights of the ambulances.
The post-mortem stories stated 11 of the lads had gunshot wounds, together with at the very least six who have been shot of their chests or backs and 4 who have been shot within the head. Most had been shot a number of occasions.
One man had a number of shrapnel wounds in his chest and stomach; two others had accidents that the post-mortem stories stated have been “constant” with shrapnel, presumably associated to an explosion. Whereas sustained gunfire may be heard on the video and in audio recordings of a part of the assault, it’s unclear whether or not there was a further blast that may have prompted such accidents.
A number of of the our bodies have been lacking limbs or different physique components, the stories stated. One man’s physique was severed from the pelvis down, his post-mortem report stated.
The our bodies have been all partly or severely decomposed, in keeping with the post-mortem stories and images. That made it difficult to attract extra conclusions, together with whether or not the lads had been shot at shut vary or from farther away, Dr. Stray-Pedersen stated in an interview.
After inspecting the primary few our bodies in late March, Dr. Dhair had advised The Instances and different information shops that one sufferer had marks and bruises on his wrists suggesting that his palms had been tied. Dr. Dhair cautioned that additional investigation was wanted to find out whether or not that was the case.
The post-mortem stories don’t point out whether or not any of the lads had been tied up.
A Crimson Crescent spokeswoman, Nebal Farsakh, had additionally stated that one paramedic was discovered together with his palms and toes tied. She didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon Tuesday.
Dr. Stray-Pedersen started consulting on the autopsies after the Gazan well being ministry sought assist from NORWAC, a Norwegian assist group, a draft of the abstract report says. He stated in an interview that he and Dr. Dhair will proceed to research the outcomes earlier than issuing a ultimate report.
“I’m particularly taking a look at any potential patterns, if all of them have been killed in the identical method or if some have any extra wounds,” Dr. Stray-Pedersen stated.
In its initial statement after the assault, the Israeli army stated that the lads had been “advancing suspiciously” with out their lights. It backtracked on that assertion after the discharge of the video, which confirmed the clearly marked automobiles flashing their lights and coming to a halt earlier than the assault.
The Israeli army’s first account additionally stated that 9 of these killed had been operatives for Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, one other militant group. It later revised that depend, saying that six of them have been Hamas operatives.
It has stated it is not going to remark additional till its investigation is full.
Abubakr Abdelbagi and Naziha Baassiri contributed reporting.
