The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has revised its account of the killing of 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers in Rafah, Gaza, after video evidence emerged that contradicted earlier claims regarding the circumstances of the incident.

Initially, the military asserted that the paramedics' vehicles lacked emergency signals and were 'advancing suspiciously' towards Israeli troops when they opened fire on March 23rd.

However, an anonymous Israeli military official indicated that this earlier assertion was a 'mistake.'

The video, reportedly recovered from the phone of Rifat Radwan, one of the deceased medics, shows a red fire engine and ambulances using headlights and flashing emergency lights while driving at night.

The footage records a scene where paramedics exit their vehicle to check on a stopped car before gunfire rings out, leading to a loss of visual feed.

The killings of the medics, which included at least one United Nations employee, are currently under investigation by the IDF.

A military spokesperson stated that all claims and circulating documentation will undergo thorough review to clarify the sequence of events and how the situation was managed.

The spokesperson acknowledged that the initial report received did not mention the presence of emergency lights, and investigators are working to determine if this oversight resulted from a faulty initial account.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the paramedics and civil defence workers were attempting to rescue colleagues who had been shot earlier that day when their clearly marked vehicles came under fire.

A Red Crescent official in Gaza provided details suggesting that at least one individual may have been killed while in detention, as evidence of a body with tied hands was discovered.

These events occurred shortly after the renewal of Israeli operations in the area following the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas, which had lasted two months.

On the same day, Israeli airstrikes reportedly resulted in at least 44 fatalities in Gaza.

In a retaliatory measure, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets aimed at southern Israeli cities, with the IDF confirming the interception of most projectiles.

Reports indicated damage to property in Ashkelon, where debris and shattered windows were observed following the attack.

As the investigation continues, concerns have also been raised about the fate of a missing Red Crescent worker, Assad al-Nassasra.

Eyewitness account from Munther Abed, a paramedic who survived the attack, indicates that he witnessed Nassasra being led away blindfolded by Israeli forces.

Abed described his experience during the incident, stating that he survived by taking cover on the ambulance floor as gunfire rained down, and he was later detained for several hours.

The UN and Palestinian Red Crescent have called for an independent inquiry into the killings.

Reports from Israeli sources have claimed that some of the deceased were identified as members of militant groups, and one Hamas figure was mentioned.

However, no identification has matched the names of those killed, and the military has not provided clear evidence for its assertions.

Calls for the release of further details and transparency regarding the identified bodies and the investigations have been made by various humanitarian entities, with statements from officials emphasizing the medical personnel’s commitment to saving lives amidst the ongoing conflict.