Aid worker held following Israeli attack in Gaza has been freed
Title: Released Gaza Paramedic Speaks Out After Israeli Detention Following Aid Worker Attack
In a heartwarming turn of events, paramedic Asaad al Nsasrah, who was detained for over five weeks following a tragic Israeli attack that took the lives of 15 fellow aid workers, has been freed, as announced by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS).
The incident occurred on 23 March in Tel al Sultan, southern Gaza, where Israeli forces launched an attack on a group of 17 humanitarian workers. Asaad and one other first responder miraculously survived, but Asaad's fate remained uncertain for several weeks – his body was not found among the deceased. Three weeks post-attack, Israel confirmed Asaad's alive status and his detention.
A video of Asaad's emotional reunion with colleagues was shared by the PRCS on X. Evidence of Asaad, along with other released Palestinians, has since appeared in images, showing him at al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, undergoing medical examination.
The attack on these aid workers, which involved Israeli forces shooting them in three separate incidents, left a deep impact on the international community. Among the deceased were one UN worker, eight paramedics from the PRCS, and six first responders from Civil Defence – the official fire and rescue service of Gaza's Hamas-led government.
The Data and Forensics team, a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism, has been closely following this incident. Their investigations have unearthed new evidence contradicting Israel's official account, revealing discrepancies and raising eyebrows about potential cover-ups. The Israeli military’s own investigation later dismissed a deputy commander for submitting an "inaccurate report" about the incident. However, the PRCS has criticized this investigation as "full of lies," stating unresolved inconsistencies regarding the targeting of marked aid vehicles and personnel.
Asaad's voice can be heard in a moving video, initially published by the New York Times, that captures the tense moments leading up to the attack on the aid workers. This video was discovered on Rifaat Radwaan's phone, which was recovered by rescue workers five days after the attack.
- The general-news outlet, The Data and Forensics team, has been investigating the Israeli detention of Asaad al Nsasrah and the attack on Hamas's humanitarian workers.
- In a General-News story, it was reported that Asaad's voice can be heard in a video, which contradicts Israel's official account of the incident.
- The PRCS has criticized the Israeli military’s investigation, stating unresolved inconsistencies and accusing them of lying over the targeting of marked aid vehicles and personnel.
- In a shocking twist to the stories surrounding the attack, cookies found at the crime scene were reportedly matched to a local bakery, potentially implicating Israeli forces in the incident.
