Israel’s Obligations in the Killing of Medical Personnels in Rafah Paramedics Massacre

Abstract

The Rafah Paramedics Massacre stands as one of the gravest atrocities against medical personnel and a blatant violation of the Geneva Convention that must be recorded in history. The killing of 15 emergency workers by Israeli forces resulted merely in the dismissal of the responsible officer. As a High Contracting Party to the Geneva Convention, Israel bears a legal obligation to address violations of the Convention as a form of state accountability. However, to date, there has been no indication that Israel has fulfilled its obligations as stipulated under the Convention. This study examines the "professional failure" claim asserted by Israel in comparison with a series of facts discovered and reported by various media outlets, and proceeds to identify the specific violations committed by Israel in the Rafah Paramedics Massacre. The data is then compiled to outline Israel’s obligations under the Geneva Convention. Based on this analysis, it is evident that Israel has failed to fulfill its legal responsibilities and has instead allowed the perpetrator of a war crime to go unpunished, subject only to administrative dismissal without any criminal sanction.