WHO Documents Escalating Attacks on Healthcare in Lebanon During Conflict
The World Health Organisation has reported that Lebanon has suffered more than 100 attacks on healthcare workers and services since the outbreak of war with Israel. According to the WHO, these incidents have specifically targeted hospitals, ambulances, and medical personnel, leading to a significant humanitarian crisis.
Casualties and Verified Incidents
The organisation confirmed that these attacks have resulted in at least 57 fatalities and 158 injuries to date. In a recent update, the WHO verified 106 such attacks in Lebanon, alongside 23 in Iran and 6 in Israel. The situation in Lebanon remains particularly dire, with attacks occurring at an average rate of approximately 2.9 incidents per day over the past 37 days.
These figures are likely an underestimate, as Israel launched its largest-ever strikes on Lebanon after the data was published. Lebanese authorities stated that more than 250 people were killed in those attacks on Wednesday, which occurred following the announcement of a US-Iran ceasefire.
Impact on Emergency Services
The WHO highlighted the severe risks faced by first responders. "Paramedics and civil defense personnel have reportedly been injured or killed while responding to casualties, including cases where teams were struck during repeated attacks on the same locations," the organisation said. Ambulances and emergency teams are consistently exposed to direct and indirect fire, severely hampering their ability to reach the wounded and perform lifesaving evacuations.
This obstruction drastically reduces the survival chances of the injured. The WHO defines an attack on healthcare as any act of violence, threat, or obstruction that interferes with the availability, access, or delivery of health services.
Regional Context and Ceasefire Developments
While a two-week ceasefire between Israel and Iran has been agreed separately, the WHO warned that Lebanon has not experienced a similar reprieve. The ceasefire is not expected to address the critical challenges facing healthcare access and humanitarian efforts in the Middle East.
Israel is anticipated to commence peace talks with Lebanon next week. However, the WHO emphasised that the surge in attacks on healthcare has been especially pronounced in Lebanon, where access to primary healthcare in shelters is described as "limited and uneven."
Damage to Healthcare Infrastructure
The WHO report also detailed significant damage in Iran. On 2 April, the Pasteur Institute of Iran, a leading global public health institution, was severely damaged. Iran has assured that strategic reserves of medicines remain adequate and that imports of essential medicines will continue.
Nevertheless, the report noted that damage to water infrastructure poses a particular risk in Iran, which is already grappling with one of the world's most severe water crises. Additionally, strikes on power plants are increasing the risk of disruptions to health services, especially for dialysis and chemotherapy patients.
Iran's Ministry of Health reported numerous incidents of people seeking hospital care for traumatic stress since the escalation of conflict.
Military and Political Responses
Following the major strikes on Wednesday, Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani informed The Independent that the military was targeting Hezbollah and Iranian military infrastructure. "In Lebanon, we are continuing our operations against Hezbollah. That's the current situation right now, in the current guidance we've received [from the political echelon]," he stated.
Shoshani added, "We have different plans for different scenarios. As of now, the mission remains to push back [Hezbollah] and keep degrading it."
A report from Al Jazeera suggested that US President Donald Trump had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back the ongoing bombardment. Trump warned that continued strikes could undermine the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. High-stakes talks between the US and Iran began on Saturday in Pakistan, led by US Vice President JD Vance and Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.
