Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday that attacks by the Israeli military on medical staff and health facilities in Lebanon partly constitute "apparent war crimes.”
The human rights organisation condemned the Israeli army’s repeated attacks on paramedics, hospitals and medical centres in Lebanon in its latest report on the war between the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia and Israel.
"The Israeli military’s unlawful attacks on medical workers and hospitals are devastating Lebanon’s already frail health-care system and putting medical workers at grave risk,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at HRW. HRW documented three attacks suspected of being war crimes in which state forces unlawfully attacked medical personnel, transportation and facilities.
It called on the United Nations to urgently establish an international investigation into the recent hostilities in Lebanon and northern Israel.
"Under the laws of war, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other health and medical personnel must be permitted to do their work and be protected in all circumstances,” the organisation said.
The fighting has also taken its toll on health workers in Lebanon, official figures showed on Friday, with at least 163 killed in Israeli attacks. Some 272 others have been injured, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. (DPA)