HAMILTON, Canada

The President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Younes Al-Khatib, demanded Friday an independent investigation into the killing of aid workers in the Gaza Strip, arguing that Israeli military-led probes cannot be trusted.

"We don't trust any of the army investigations, and this is why we were very clear in saying that we need an independent inquiry into this," Al-Khatib said at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, referring to the Israeli killing of 15 Palestinian medics and aid workers in Gaza.

He condemned increasing attacks on humanitarian workers and facilities, stressing that the Red Crescent emblem, which should be protected under international law, is being targeted instead.

"More and more Red Cross and Red Crescent people are being targeted throughout the world. This is an emblem that needs to be protected, but it is not," he said.

Al-Khatib revealed that the 15 PRCS workers had been killed by Israel, with their bodies "targeted from a very close range."

He emphasized that the PRCS had officially requested an independent investigation. "We have asked for this investigation. We have asked for an independent investigation to be conducted, and we will pursue that," he said.

Al-Khatib also condemned the targeting of medical facilities in Gaza, calling it a deliberate strategy.

"There is this obsession about targeting the medical facilities," he said, referring to the destruction of hospitals and health infrastructure in the region.

Al-Khatib warned that Gaza must not be left without international support. "Gaza cannot be left alone. This is a cry to our international community."

Vice President of PRCS Marwan Jilani dismissed Israel's investigative process, noting that it has never led to accountability.

"We have never seen an Israeli investigation that resulted in any accountability whatsoever. This is on record. This is a fact, and that should not be accepted," he said.

Jilani pushed back against Israeli claims that PRCS ambulances were used to transport fighters, calling the accusations false.

"Every time the IDF (Israeli military) spokesperson comes out saying PRCS ambulances were transporting fighters or had arms, we immediately showed evidence that these were false, and they immediately took it down," he said.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society announced Sunday the discovery of 14 bodies following the Israeli attack. The victims included eight Red Crescent workers, five Civil Defense personnel, and a UN agency staff member.

It came days after the Palestinian Civil Defense said it recovered the body of a team member killed by Israeli forces, bringing the number of deaths from the attack to 15.

More than 50,500 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza since the war began in late 2023.