The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Reza, and the World Health Organization Representative in Lebanon, Dr. Abdel Nasser Abu Bakr, issued a warning about the escalation of attacks targeting the healthcare sector, and stressed that these attacks represent a serious violation of international humanitarian law and pose a threat to the lives of civilians and medical workers.
In a joint statement issued by them, the two officials explained that at least 75 attacks on health care facilities have been recorded in Lebanon since March 2, 2026, killing 51 people and wounding 126 other health personnel while carrying out their duty. These attacks also caused severe damage to vital health sector infrastructure, disrupted basic services, and obstructed the access of necessary medical care to communities already suffering from difficult conditions.
The statement stated, “Since last night until this morning, a new tragic incident was recorded targeting ambulances in southern Lebanon, where at least 9 paramedics were killed in 3 separate attacks while carrying out their humanitarian duty, while 7 others were injured,” while emphasizing that paramedics and health workers continue to “risk their lives daily to save others, and they must be protected.”
Riza and Abu Bakr expressed their deep concern about this escalation, and offered their condolences to all the victims, including first responders and civilians, who were killed or wounded in this conflict, and called for an immediate end to these attacks.
The statement stressed that “this is a decisive moment to respect the rules of war,” recalling that international humanitarian law clearly stipulates that “the special protection granted to the medical mission, including medical personnel, hospitals, and ambulances, must be respected at all times, and all possible precautions must be taken to spare civilians and civilian objects from the effects of hostilities, and to facilitate, not obstruct, the provision of medical care to the wounded and sick.”
The statement called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, stressing that “protecting the wounded, the sick, medical workers, medical facilities and means of transport is essential to preserving human values in times of war, by saving lives and ensuring the continuity of vital services for those most in need.”
