Britain calls for ceasefire after Israeli strikes on Lebanon
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A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed that the British government is "ironclad" in its support of "Israel's right to self-defense," though asking for "all parties to show restraint."
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A man walks on the rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on September 29, 2024. (AP)
Following aggressive Israeli airstrikes accross Lebanon, Britain stated on Monday that all sides should seek de-escalation and a ceasefire, emphasizing the need to bring the area back from the edge.
For the first time, the aggression extended to the capital at midnight Sunday. Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that an Israeli airstrike targeted a multi-story residential building in the Cola area of Beirut.
Following the airstrike, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) announced the martyrdom of three of its cadres, two leaders and a member, Mohammed Abdel Aal, Imad Awda, and Abdul Rahman Abdel Aal.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed that the British government is "ironclad" in its support of "Israel's right to self-defense, now it was important to highlight "But our very clear message now is, on all sides, all parties, to show restraint."
The spokesperson stated that all sides must "Step back from the brink" adding that further escalation must be avoided, and explaining that a ceasefire will "provide the space necessary to find the political solution necessary to secure peace in the region."
Starmer and other government officials have also urged British nationals to leave Lebanon on commercial flights while it is still feasible.
The spokesperson stated that the administration was working on the necessary contingency plans in response to the situation in Lebanon.
"What we're focused on at the moment is securing extra spaces on commercial flights for those who do want to leave, and obviously reiterating our calls for those (people) to leave and to register their presence with us and book the first available flights," he stated.
In three days, 'Israel' killed 23 medics in aggression on Lebanon
Over a dozen paramedics have been killed in Lebanon in the latest wave of Israeli attacks, according to the country's Health Ministry.
On Sunday, the ministry confirmed that 14 paramedics were killed during two days of relentless Israeli bombardment in the eastern and southern regions of Lebanon, as well as in the Southern Suburb Beirut, where Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was martyred.
In its statement, the Ministry strongly denounced the Israeli occupation for its continuous attacks on medical facilities, underscoring that "paramedics do not engage in hostilities" and deserve protection during times of war.
“The Israeli occupation forces have accumulated their attacks on paramedics and health centers in recent days. This series of attacks led to the martyrdom of fourteen paramedics in two days," it continued.
The statement emphasized that the Israeli occupation's repeated attacks on health centers and vehicles "flout international laws and norms, particularly the Geneva Convention," which underscores the need for the neutrality of health facilities and healthcare workers in war zones to enable them to fulfill their humanitarian responsibilities.
“Does Israel want the blood to flow without stopping? Where is the international community and its responsibility to put an end to this escalating genocide?” it added.
Meanwhile, the Civil Defense in East Lebanon announced that 6 paramedics were killed in Israeli raids on ambulance centers in the town of Sohmor in Western Bekaa.
