TEL AVIV, Israel — Palestinian medical officials say they obtained video footage that refutes Israel's claims about the killing of 15 rescue and aid workers in the southern Gaza Strip last month.

Israel's military initially said "several vehicles were identified advancing suspiciously toward [Israeli] troops without headlights, or emergency signals" on March 23, and the soldiers opened fire.


But the Palestine Red Crescent Society released a video Saturday it said was found in a cellphone with one of the killed paramedics. It shows clearly marked rescue vehicles with headlights on and red emergency lights flashing. The video was filmed inside one of the vehicles in the convoy.

In the video, there is heavy gunfire over the course of several minutes, and a man's voice says in Arabic, "Mom, forgive me. This is the path I chose, to help people."