72 medical workers, patients killed in Lebanon since Sep. 17: WHO
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The World Health Organization warns that health supplies are running dangerously low, and medical staff are facing severe exhaustion in Lebanon.
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Responders arrive to the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Toul on October 15, 2024. (AFP)
Over 20 attacks have targeted health facilities in Lebanon since September 17, killing 72 people and injuring 43 others, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Wednesday.
"Since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon on 17 September 2024, WHO has verified 23 attacks on health care in Lebanon that have led to 72 deaths and 43 injuries among health workers and patients," the organization announced in a statement.
According to the WHO, 100 out of 207 primary healthcare centers and dispensaries in affected areas have been forced to shut down.
It also warned that health supplies are running dangerously low, and medical staff are facing severe exhaustion in Lebanon.
This comes as "Israel" persists with its aggression across Lebanon, especially its South and East, killing more than 1,300 people since September 23 when it launched its massive aerial attacks on the country.
Targeting civilian infrastructure and leveling it to the ground, the Israeli aggression did not spare medical and emergency teams from its assaults.
IOF attacks on Lebanon first responders potenial war crimes: Intercept
A report by The Intercept news website shed light on the Israeli targeting of medical and emergency personnel in Lebanon under the false pretext of eliminating Hezbollah fighters, just like it does to justify its massacres in the Gaza Strip since the start of its attacks on the country last year.
According to the United Nations, over 100 medical and emergency personnel have been killed across Lebanon since "Israel’s" war on Gaza began last October, with a significant portion of these targetings occurring in recent weeks.
Imran Riza, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon, underscored on October 3 that "frontline workers, protected under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), are civilians risking their lives to help others and should never be targeted."
"These attacks disrupt essential services, delay critical care, and violate the right to healthcare, endangering both aid workers and the vulnerable populations they serve," he pointed out.
Targeting healthcare workers and facilities is a violation of international humanitarian law, as outlined in the Geneva Conventions, which have been ratified by 195 parties, including "Israel", The Intercept noted.
The United Nations recently reported that Israeli strikes have forced the closure of 98 healthcare facilities across Lebanon.
Read more: From Qana to Riyaq, Israeli massacres in Lebanon continue ruthlessly
