Nine emergency medics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) went missing on Sunday while on a rescue mission in Rafah, Al Jazeera reports.

The organisation says they were surrounded and targeted by Israeli forces.

In a statement, the PRCS stated the staff members’ fate “remains unknown” after five days.

“The PRCS expresses deep concern for the safety of its teams and holds Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for their fate,” it said, while urging the international community to help facilitate a search operation for them.