Israel Releases Palestinian Medic Detained After Deadly IDF Attack on Gaza Emergency Convoy

Report By Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has released Palestinian medic Asaad Al-Nsasrah, 37 days after his detention during a deadly military assault on an emergency convoy in southern Gaza. The release was confirmed on Tuesday by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), which shared footage of Al-Nsasrah’s emotional reunion with his colleagues at Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis.

The medic was found in a weakened state and immediately transferred to Al-Amal Hospital for treatment and medical evaluation.

Al-Nsasrah had gone missing on March 23 during an Israeli attack on a convoy searching for a PRCS ambulance in the Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah. The strike left 15 people dead, including eight PRCS medics and a Bulgarian United Nations worker. All emergency vehicles involved were clearly marked with PRCS insignias and flashing lights.

The medic was found in a weakened state and immediately transferred to Al-Amal Hospital for treatment and medical evaluation.

Footage released by the PRCS, along with testimonies from survivors, revealed that the convoy was subjected to direct gunfire despite being visibly marked as medical personnel. One PRCS medic, Munther Abed, told CNN he witnessed Israeli forces using bulldozers to bury the bodies and crush the ambulances into a mass grave.

Photos and videos reviewed by journalists showed that many of the victims were buried in their uniforms, with some still wearing medical gloves, indicating they were responding to emergency calls at the time of the attack.

The Israeli military initially justified the assault by alleging suspicious vehicle movements and potential Hamas affiliations. However, it later admitted that “professional failures” contributed to the misidentification, calling it an “operational misunderstanding.”

International humanitarian groups have denied any militant presence among the victims and have strongly condemned the attack as a violation of international humanitarian law.

The release of Al-Nsasrah comes amid growing international pressure on Israel to provide accountability for its military operations in civilian areas of Gaza, particularly those involving clearly marked aid workers.