The United States has stated that international humanitarian law applies to all parties in Gaza following a deadly Israeli military strike that killed 15 people, including paramedics, civil defense workers and a UN official. The incident occurred on March 23 when Israeli forces targeted five ambulances, a fire truck and a UN vehicle in what witnesses described as sequential strikes.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to confirm whether the U.S. would conduct its own investigation into the attack, instead asserting that “every single thing that happens in Gaza is happening because of Hamas.” The Israeli military claimed its troops fired on vehicles moving suspiciously without lights or emergency signals, alleging Hamas operatives were among those killed. However, they provided no explanation for reports that victims’ bodies some still in medical uniforms were later buried in a mass grave.
UN humanitarian officials expressed outrage at the attack, with one official calling the scene an “absolute horror” and emphasizing that medical personnel are protected under international law. The strike occurred amid renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza that have killed over 1,000 people since mid-March, according to Hamas-run health authorities.
The conflict, now in its sixth month, has claimed more than 50,350 Palestinian lives since it began following Hamas’ October 2023 attack on Israel. As Israel’s primary arms supplier, the U.S. faces increasing scrutiny over whether its weapons have been used in potential violations of international humanitarian law.
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