ALBAWABA - In a report released earlier today, US-based NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that Israel has repeatedly attacked healthcare workers and medical facilities with crimes amounting to war crimes in the already war-hackoved country.
In the report, HRW documented three instances where Israel directly targeted "medical personnel, transports, and facilities, including paramedics at a civil defense center in central Beirut on October 3, 2024, and an ambulance and a hospital in southern Lebanon on October 4, killing 14 paramedics,".
According to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health, Israeli attacks have killed at least 163 health and rescue personnel in the country over the last year, causing damage to 158 ambulances and 55 hospitals.
HRW urged the Israeli military to immediately cease unlawful attacks on medical professionals and healthcare institutions, calling on allies to halt arms exports to Israel as they possess a grave threat and can be used to inflict massive violations against civilians.
Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch said that "the Israeli military’s unlawful attacks on medical workers and hospitals are devastating Lebanon’s already frail health care system and putting medical workers at grave risk,".
"Strikes on medical workers and healthcare facilities also compound risks to injured civilians, severely hindering their ability to receive urgently needed medical attention," Kaiss added.
Eight people, including paramedics, civil defense, and hospital officials, were interviewed by Human Rights Watch. The organization also visited the Islamic Health Committee's civil defense facility, where it spoke with three locals and witnesses to the Israeli strike.
Human Rights Watch also examined satellite images, videos, and photos taken during the assault. On October 7, HRW wrote to the Israeli military to present its findings and ask questions, but it has not heard back.
Human Rights Watch addressed a letter to the Islamic Health Committee on October 21 with questions and an outline of its study results. The Islamic Health Committee replied on October 23.
