At least four hospitals in Lebanon announced their suspension of services on Friday due to escalating Israeli strikes, which have resulted in significant casualties among healthcare workers. A health organization affiliated with Hezbollah reported that 11 paramedics lost their lives within the last 24 hours.
These closures mark a grim continuation of Israeli military actions impacting medical facilities, with reports indicating that at least 37 hospitals have been forced to shut down, and dozens of medical personnel have been killed, as identified by the World Health Organization.
In a statement late Friday, the Israeli army claimed that Hezbollah was misusing medical vehicles for transporting militants and weapons, warning they would target any vehicle suspected of military usage. Eyewitnesses at southern Lebanon hospitals reported direct strikes on facilities treating injured civilians.
Dr. Mounes Kalakish, director of Marjayoun governmental hospital, revealed that their facility had to close following an airstrike that struck two ambulances at the hospital’s entrance, resulting in the deaths of seven paramedics. “The nurses and doctors were terrified,” he stated. “We tried to calm them and carry on working, but it was not possible.”
Dr. Shoshana Mazraani, the hospital’s emergency director, recounted her experience during the airstrike, sharing the panic as colleagues urged her to stay back for safety. The Marjayoun hospital, already struggling with a reduced staff of only 20 out of a typical 120, was unable to continue operations post-strike. Dr. Mazraani described the closure as a “tragedy for the region,” emphasizing the critical services the hospital provided, including dialysis.
Rita Suleiman, nursing director at Saint Therese hospital near Beirut, echoed similar challenges, mentioning severe damage from an attack that ultimately forced them to suspend all services. Other hospitals continued to operate under perilous circumstances, with Dr. Mohammed Hamadeh from Tebnine hospital noting the danger that kept staff confined within hospital walls after a nearby strike rattled the building.
Late Friday, Salah Ghandour hospital in Bint Jbeil announced its closure after being “violently shelled” following an Israeli evacuation order. The Israeli military indicated their strikes targeted a mosque they claimed was utilized by Hezbollah.
Notably, the strikes on healthcare institutions were not limited to southern Lebanon; a medical center in central Beirut sustained damage from Israeli actions, resulting in nine fatalities and 14 injuries. The Israeli military stated this attack was aimed at “terror assets.”
The Lebanese Red Cross reported that four of its paramedics were injured while evacuating patients, despite coordination efforts with the Israeli army. Gabriel Karlsson, a local manager for the British Red Cross, stressed the importance of ensuring safety for health and aid workers, who tirelessly support communities in need.
The World Health Organization’s director general noted that 28 healthcare workers had perished over a single 24-hour period due to the ongoing conflict, and numerous others have refrained from working amid fears for their safety.
Lebanon’s Health Minister, Firass Abiad, indicated that since the onset of fighting last October, 97 rescue workers have been killed, with over 40 casualties reported just this past week.
