MSF condemns Israeli forces’ killing of paramedics in Lebanon

Country: Lebanon Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Medical workers and health facilities must be protected. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) strongly condemns Israeli forces’ attacks against paramedics in Lebanon , including the recent killing of two Lebanese Civil Defense workers in Nabatiyeh in the south of the country . On May 12, a drone strike hit three paramedics as they were attempting to assist an injured person who survived a previous attack. Two of them were killed on the spot. Another paramedic who was wounded was later treated in the Najdeh Al-Shaabiyeh Hospital emergency room, where MSF teams are working. Paramedics from the ambulance that departed from Najdeh Al-Shaabiyeh Hospital — who had witnessed the strike on their colleagues — later had to return to the site to collect human remains from the scene. “We are outraged over the killing of paramedics who were simply doing their job, taking huge risks to save lives,” said Jeremy Ristord, MSF head of mission in Lebanon. “ Attacks on health care are unacceptable and must not be normalized.” While scaling up support at Al Najdeh Hospital to respond to mass casualty incidents over the past months , MSF teams have worked side by side with paramedics and frontline responders across Nabatiyeh Governorate, including the Lebanese Civil Defence, as they have brought injured and sick patients to the hospital. Health care workers and facilities have been repeatedly attacked The May 12 incident is part of an alarming pattern. Over recent weeks, MSF teams in Lebanon have been witnessing the consequences of airstrikes, drone strikes, and artillery fire , which are damaging hospitals, ambulances, and medical equipment, and killing or injuring civilians , health workers, and first responders. Lebanese health authorities, media, and other huma...

Original source: Relief Web