In response to United Nations (UN) reports that Israeli forces killed 15 medical and humanitarian workers and buried them in a mass grave in southern Gaza, the following statement is attributable to Sam Zarifi, JD, executive director at Physicians for Human Rights (PHR):  

“The reported killings and burial of 15 health and humanitarian workers in Gaza by the Israeli military must be independently investigated and all perpetrators must be fully brought to account. 

“Available evidence, including video footage and eye-witness accounts obtained by The New York Times, suggests that the victims were clearly marked as medical personnel. The footage shows their vehicles were clearly marked as ambulances and their emergency signal lights were on, contradicting the Israeli government’s version of events.  The medics were reportedly shot in the head and chest while some were reportedly found handcuffed. The deceased’s bodies and vehicles were ‘buried in the sand by the Israeli military,’ according to UN officials.  a