Three paramedics killed in successive Israeli strikes in Lebanon, officials say
Israeli Strikes in Lebanon Kill Three Paramedics, Officials Report
Lebanese authorities have confirmed that a sequence of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon has resulted in the deaths of at least three paramedics, with one of them prominently featured in a recent BBC coverage. The incidents are part of a broader pattern of targeting healthcare personnel during Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, according to officials.
Medical Teams Hit in Nabatieh Region
On Wednesday, a team from the Islamic Health Association was ambushed while attempting to assist victims near the site of an Israeli strike in Mayfadoun, a town in the Nabatieh region. The attack left one paramedic dead and another missing. A second team dispatched to the same area was also struck, causing three injuries. Subsequently, two ambulances belonging to the Risala Scout Association and the Nabatieh Ambulance Service were targeted, killing two more paramedics and wounding three others.
“He was generous, ready to offer a hand to anyone. He had a very high sense of humanity and a great sense of humour,”
Ali Nasreddine, a colleague and former classmate of Fadel Serhan, described the deceased paramedic. Serhan, a 43-year-old member of the Risala Scout Association, was among those killed. His team, which has been under repeated Israeli fire for six weeks, was operating from a tent outside Nabih Berri Hospital after their Mayfadoun station was destroyed in an early airstrike.
International Law Concerns
Lebanon’s health ministry has condemned the attacks as a “flagrant crime,” emphasizing that paramedics are being deliberately targeted in violation of international humanitarian law. The ministry stated that over 120 Israeli strikes have been directed at medical facilities and ambulances, resulting in 91 fatalities and 208 injuries among healthcare workers.
“Under international humanitarian law, civilians, including healthcare workers, do not lose their protected status simply based on an affiliation,”
Kristine Beckerle, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Amnesty International, highlighted this in a prior report. She noted that intentionally attacking medics performing their duties constitutes a serious breach of humanitarian principles and could be classified as a war crime.
As of 2 March, more than 2,100 people have been killed and 7,000 wounded in Lebanon, with the ministry noting that casualties include at least 260 women and 172 children. Meanwhile, Israeli forces have accused Hezbollah of using ambulances for military purposes, a claim the Lebanese health minister has rejected.
Over the same period, Hezbollah attacks have caused two civilian deaths in Israel, while 13 Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat in Lebanon, according to Israeli authorities. The BBC’s coverage of Serhan’s team underscores the ongoing risks faced by medical personnel in the region.
Additional reporting by Neha Sharma and Angie Mrad
