Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said a Palestinian healthcare worker survived a deadly Israeli attack on a group of first responders in southern Gaza, released from Israeli detention.
Assaad al-Nassa, Chinese ambulance driver, is one of at least 10 Palestinian detainees who were released to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
The agency shared a video on social media showing a distinct emotional al-Nassasra wearing a bright red PRCS jacket and hugging his colleagues after 37 days of detention in Israel.
His exact whereabouts were unknown after the Israeli army opened fire on the Palestinian first responder in the Rafa region of southern Southern Gaza on March 23, killing 15 health workers, the attack sparked widespread anger and called for an independent investigation.
"He was arrested while performing his humanitarian duties during the massacre of the medical team in the Taal-Suldan area of Rafah," the Chinese party said.
Colleague Asaad Al-Nsasrah's first moment with his teammates after being released today, reunited with his teammates after being detained by the occupying army for 37 days. He was arrested while performing his humanitarian duties during the massacre of medical teams on the phone. pic.twitter.com/tzghbzhejl
- PRCS (@palestinercs) April 29, 2025
China reported last month that Israeli troops opened fire on medical staff who were driving in ambulances to help injured Palestinians at the scene of an earlier attack in Israel.
The agency said it lost contact with the team and Israeli forces blocked entry into the scene of the incident.
A week later, when UN and Palestinian officials were able to reach the area, they found a large-scale grave, an ambulance and body burying bulldozers.
Eight Chinese workers were killed along with six Palestinian Civil Defense Team members and a UN employee.
"This massacre by our team is not only a tragedy for the Palestinian Red Crescent, but also for humanitarian work and humanity," the agency said in a statement on March 30.
Video recovered from a murdered medical worker's cell phone shows their last moments. They wore highly reflective uniforms inside clearly identifiable rescue vehicles Shot by Israeli troops.
Amid international outcry, the Israeli military announced that it would investigate what happened.
It said last week that its investigation has identified a series of "professional failures." The Army said its ethics were not violated and a soldier was dismissed.
China criticized the Israeli military's findings and called for an independent and impartial investigation into UN agencies.
Al-Nassasra, 47, is one of two people who survived the attack.
Another survivor, Munther Abed, said at the time that he had seen al-Nassra be captured, bound and taken away.
According to his son Mohamed, the six-year-old father spoke to his family when he disappeared in an Israeli attack, telling them he was on his way to China headquarters and quickly broke his Ramadan with his colleagues.
When the family tried to call him around dawn the next day, he did not respond, and they found out from China that no one could contact him or other emergency workers.
His son said Al-Nassasra had been warning his family that he might not back down whenever he went on a mission. But as al-Nassasra continues his work during the 18-month Israeli war against Gaza, the family tries not to consider this.
His colleague Ibrahim Abu al-Kass also told Al Jazeera that al-Nassasra always carries candy to encourage them to play in a safe place, not in the middle of the road.
Israel launched a strong arrest campaign during the war. According to the Palestinian prisoner support network Addame, at least 9,900 Palestinians are currently in Israeli detention centers, including 400 children.
According to the so-called “administrative detention,” more than 3,400 people can renew their contracts for six months without charges or trials.
Al-Nassasra was released to Gaza along with Kissufim checkpoint and was released along with 10 other detainees before medical examinations were conducted at a hospital in Deir El-Balah in central Gaza.
Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum said in a report in the city that the released detainees reported being tortured in a "terrible way" and were in a bad state of physical and mental health.
During the Gaza bombing, Israeli forces often target first responders, humanitarian workers and journalists.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 52,300 Palestinians have been killed and at least 117,905 have been injured since the war began on October 7, 2023.