Mon Apr 14 17:35:30 UTC 2025: ## Gaza Paramedic’s Final Moments Recorded Before Israeli Killing
**Gaza City** – The heartbreaking final moments of Rifaat Radwan, a 24-year-old Palestinian paramedic, have been revealed in a video he recorded before being killed by Israeli soldiers. Radwan was among 15 emergency workers, including fellow Palestine Red Crescent Society and Civil Defence members, who were ambushed on March 23rd during a rescue mission in southern Gaza.
Radwan’s video, spanning approximately 20 minutes, captures the events leading up to the attack. It shows clearly marked ambulances and a firetruck responding to an earlier Israeli bombing, contradicting Israeli claims that the vehicles were unmarked. The footage depicts the paramedics’ distress as they discover the bodies of colleagues, before the sound of gunfire abruptly ends the recording. Radwan’s final words were a plea for his mother’s forgiveness: “Forgive me, mama. I wanted to help people. Forgive me.”
His mother, Ghalia Radwan, recounted the agonizing eight-day wait for news of her son, punctuated by desperate calls to the Red Crescent and agonizing uncertainty. The family’s grief was compounded by the viewing of the video, which showed Rifaat’s final moments, his faith and his commitment to helping others.
Radwan’s father, Anwar Radwan, described his son’s lifelong fascination with emergency services, a passion that led him to join the Palestine Red Crescent Society in October 2023. Despite her fears, Ghalia supported her son’s dedication, knowing his desire to serve his community.
The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for accountability for the deaths of the 15 emergency workers. Ghalia Radwan, while heartbroken, vows to honor her son’s legacy by raising her younger sons to follow in his footsteps and become paramedics. She speaks of her son’s unwavering commitment to helping others, even at the cost of his own life. Radwan’s story serves as a poignant testament to the human cost of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
First Piper 