A Palestinian paramedic who vanished after a deadly Israeli attack on a Gaza medical convoy has been confirmed as detained by Israeli authorities, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Assad al-Nassasra, a veteran medic with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), had been missing since March 23, when 15 emergency workers — including eight PRCS staff — were killed in southern Gaza. His whereabouts remained unknown until the ICRC informed his family and employer that he is being held in an Israeli detention facility.
The PRCS accused Israeli forces of “forcibly abducting” al-Nassasra during the attack and is calling for his immediate release. “We urge the international community to pressure the occupation authorities to release our colleague, who was abducted while performing humanitarian duties,” the organization said in a statement.
Israeli forces have not officially confirmed the detention. A military spokesperson said they were “aware” of the reports but provided no further comment.
The March 23 incident, which took place near Rafah, has drawn international condemnation. Survivors and rights groups describe it as a targeted attack on a clearly marked humanitarian convoy.
Audio and video evidence reviewed by BBC Verify revealed that Israeli troops fired over 100 times at the convoy, with gunshots coming from as close as 12 meters. The IDF initially claimed the medics were in “suspicious vehicles” but later revised their account after video evidence confirmed the use of emergency lights.
The PRCS and the surviving medic have rejected Israeli claims that any of those killed were linked to Hamas. The organization has called the strike a “war crime” and demanded an independent international investigation.
Al-Nassasra, a 16-year PRCS veteran, is a husband and father of six. The ICRC has yet to gain access to visit him or any Palestinian detainees held by Israel since October 7, 2023.
The Israeli military launched its Gaza campaign in response to Hamas’s October 7 assault, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
