Israel Killed UN Worker in “Summary Execution” in Gaza Paramedic Massacre

The UN has dubbed Israel’s killing of a UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) rescue worker in March a “summary execution,” sharing new details regarding Israel’s widely condemned paramedic massacre that killed 15 first responders and aid workers.

The UNRWA worker, identified by the agency as Kamal, was wearing a UN vest and was driving a clearly marked UN vehicle when he was killed, officials reported on Wednesday, citing newly released information. Israeli forces killed him via “one or multiple blows to the back of his skull,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

“A summary execution among more than 310 UNRWA staff killed in Gaza,” Lazzarini said. “Kamal worked with UNRWA for over 20 years. He left his wife and children behind. He is one case too many. UNRWA teams are not a target. Impunity opens the door to more atrocities.”

On March 23, Kamal was called to respond when Israeli forces opened fire on 15 paramedics with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and Gaza Civil Defense who were on their way to rescue Palestinians caught in another Israeli attack.

For days, the employee and paramedics were reported missing by their respective organizations. Later, they were found buried in a shallow grave. Video footage, testimony and autopsies revealed that they had been executed one by one by Israeli forces, many with shots to the head or other horrific injuries.

The massacre drew international condemnation, but, despite making Gaza into the world’s deadliest place to be an aid worker, Israel has not faced any consequences for its slaughter thus far.

The UN human rights office in the occupied Palestinian territory condemned the killing as “truly shocking” and reflective of a “chilling pattern of violations” of international law by Israeli forces.

“This appears to be an incident of deliberate targeting and killing of medical and humanitarian personnel in violation of international law. These killings reflect the Israeli military’s pattern of unlawful killings since the escalation of hostilities in Gaza began in October 2023,” the agency said in a statement.

Officials have called for an investigation into the killing of Kamal and other humanitarian workers. The UN Human Rights Office also noted that Israel’s own internal investigation of the incident — which led only to a reprimand and the discharge of one commander — is clearly insufficient for accountability.

The agency also highlighted the killings of numerous other civilians by Israelis, including the field execution of a family in December of 2023 and the killing of Adnan Al Bursh, a well-known orthopedic doctor at Al-Awda Hospital, in Israeli custody last year.

“UN Human Rights Office is gravely concerned that the prevalence of unlawful killings, including extrajudicial executions, and the repeated nature of these violations, as well as the apparent absence of effective steps from the Israeli military to repress and punish most of these cases, imply that these killings are not isolated events and indicate that they are condoned by the military and civilian hierarchy,” the office wrote.