Amnesty International has urged investigations into Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities, ambulances, and medical personnel in Lebanon, characterizing these actions as potential war crimes. The organization calls for Lebanon to facilitate ICC investigations and ensure accountability, as the violence has caused significant harm to the already strained healthcare system. Evidence collected highlights a lack of military justification for these attacks, reinforcing the importance of international humanitarian law in protecting medical services.
Amnesty International has called for investigations into the Israeli military’s attacks on health facilities, ambulances, and medical personnel in Lebanon, asserting that these actions constitute war crimes under international law. The organization urges the Lebanese government to enable the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate these incidents and ensure victims are compensated, including demanding reparations from Israel for its serious violations of international humanitarian law.
Findings from Amnesty International spotlight four attacks occurring between October 3 and 9, 2024, in Beirut and southern Lebanon, which resulted in 19 healthcare workers killed and 11 wounded. Multiple ambulances and two medical facilities suffered extensive damage or destruction during this single week, exacerbating the existing healthcare challenges in the region.
The Israeli military has been criticized for lacking adequate justification for these attacks, which have devastated Lebanon’s healthcare infrastructure and endangered civilians. Amnesty International emphasizes that international humanitarian law protects medical facilities and personnel, and without evidence of military use, such attacks are in clear violation of these laws.
Through interviews with medical workers, witnesses, and families affected by these incidents, Amnesty International has gathered crucial evidence, including verifying photographs and videos that were circulated on social media. The organization reached out to the Israeli military for comments on its findings but received no response by the time of the report’s publication.
Despite accusations by Israel of Hezbollah using ambulances and medical facilities for military purposes, the evidence collected indicates that the attacked healthcare facilities were not engaged in military activities. International humanitarian law allows for hospitals to be targeted only under strict conditions of necessity and proportionality, emphasizing the need for a warning prior to any attacks.
In the context of a recent ceasefire in Lebanon, healthcare professionals continue to operate under challenging conditions, salvaging what is left of their facilities. Many have adapted to working from makeshift sites after their centers were destroyed, underscoring the dire state of the healthcare system as it attempts a fragile recovery in the aftermath of violence.
Amnesty International insists that accountability is crucial for preventing future violations, urging the Lebanese government to accede to the Rome Statute and accept the ICC’s jurisdiction retroactively. The organization maintains that justice for victims and consequences for perpetrators are essential parts of any ceasefire agreement, as restoring faith in the rule of law and humanitarian protections is urgently needed in Lebanon.
In light of the repeated attacks by the Israeli military on medical facilities and personnel in Lebanon, Amnesty International calls for thorough investigations as these acts may constitute war crimes. It stresses the necessity of holding perpetrators accountable and providing reparations to victims, while urging Lebanon’s government to enable ICC jurisdiction to address such violations effectively. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Lebanon requires prompt action to safeguard medical facilities and ensure the protection of civilians. Furthermore, there is a significant need for adherence to international humanitarian law and for parties in conflict to ensure that civilians and medical personnel are not imperiled during hostilities.
Original Source: www.amnesty.org
