The strike was only the latest in a string of attacks against Lebanese first responders. According to the United Nations, over 100 medical and emergency workers have been killed across Lebanon since last October when Israel’s war on Gaza began, with many of the casualties occurring within the past several weeks.
“Frontline workers, protected under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), are civilians risking their lives to help others and should never be targeted,” said Imran Riza, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, in an October 3 statement. “These attacks disrupt essential services, delay critical care, and violate the right to healthcare, endangering both aid workers and the vulnerable populations they serve.”
The targeting of health care workers and infrastructure is a violation of international humanitarian law codified in the Geneva Conventions, which 195 countries, including Israel, have ratified. (The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)