Israel targeted rescuers across Lebanon once again on Friday, killing at least eight paramedics in strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut and the south of the country.
This morning, an Israeli drone fired a missile at an ambulance belonging to the Islamic Health Committee (IHC), affiliated with Hezbollah, in front of the government hospital in Marjayoun, our correspondent in the south, reported. The strike killed at least seven people, according to the IHC media official. Another strike targeted an IHC center in Bir al-Sanassel, in the Bint Jbeil district, in the afternoon, our correspondent said.
The Islamic Health Committee has been repeatedly targeted in recent days, notably during an unprecedented strike in Bashoura, central Beirut, on one of its centers. That airstrike killed nine people, including seven paramedics.
Hezbollah also accused Israel of carrying out a strike on rescuers who were at the site of an overnight strike in Beirut's southern suburbs, killing one. An Israeli strike "targeted civil defense teams clearing rubble and attempting to rescue the wounded, killing one of them," according to a statement from the Shiite party. Earlier, a source close to Hezbollah had reported a drone strike to AFP.
Mikati calls for civilian protection
In this context, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati intensified his diplomatic contacts to push for pressure on Israel to stop targeting rescuers and emergency workers going to sites hit by its air force to transport the wounded and dead. According to a statement from the Grand Serail, Mikati "condemned these aggressions by the Israeli enemy, which violate international law and established humanitarian norms."
Meanwhile, the government hospital in Mais al-Jabal (Marjayoun district) announced its closure on Friday due to difficulty accessing staff, medical supplies, and power and water cuts. The hospital's management denounced the attacks on health centers and called on the international community to respond to the Israeli aggression.
According to an assessment by caretaker Health Minister Firass Abiad on Thursday, the Israeli attacks have killed 97 people and injured 188 from various organizations, and have damaged 45 centers and 128 vehicles so far.