Recent attacks killed two Lebanese Red Cross volunteers: Youssef Assaf, who died during a rescue operation on March 9, and Hassan Badawi, killed during a drone strike on April 12.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 169 attacks have been confirmed against health professionals and facilities in Lebanon, resulting in 116 deaths.
Lebanese authorities say more than 3,000 people have been killed since hostilities escalated in March, with violence continuing despite a ceasefire. Hezbollah fighters based in Lebanon began bombing Israeli communities soon after the Israeli-US bombing of Iran began; The exchange of fire continues today, with media reporting that 21 Israeli soldiers have been killed since March 2.
PK Press Club spoke with Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, OHCHR; Tommaso Della Longa, spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); and Ali Saad of the Lebanese Red Cross. Everyone agrees on one thing: first responders should never be targets.
Aid workers caught in the crossfire
From a human rights perspective, deliberately targeting medical personnel constitutes a war crime. According to Mr. Al-Kheetan of OHCHR, the international community must do more to ensure the protection of health workers in all conflicts.
The office “has documented instances where Israeli forces have launched attacks involving direct strikes against civilians, including medical personnel,” he argued, emphasizing that such attacks are not unprecedented, pointing to similar patterns previously documented in Gaza and other conflicts around the world.
A residential neighborhood in Beirut, Lebanon shows signs of missile attacks. (deposit)
A “shocking” spectacle
Describing a recent visit to Lebanon, Mr. Della Longa of the International Federation recalled the shocking sight of Red Cross volunteers donning bulletproof vests and helmets before setting out to save lives.
“What shocked me the most,” he said, “was to see Lebanon losing people committed to humanity and serving others. »
Mr. Della Longa explained that the details and location of the mission of Youssef Assaf and Hassan Badawi had been shared with the warring parties. They were also traveling in ambulances clearly marked with the Red Cross insignia when they were killed.
“It’s not just numbers”
“Behind every paramedic or volunteer killed, there is a family – it’s not just numbers,” he said. “Hassan had a pregnant wife and a son waiting for him at home. »
For Mr. Della Longa, “hitting an ambulance and killing an aid worker is to weaken entire communities.”
He renewed the call for the international community to respect and protect civilians, humanitarian workers and medical transports in accordance with international law.
Rescue workers deal with the aftermath of a missile attack on a Beirut neighborhood. (deposit)
Deconfliction fails on the ground
To help protect rescue teams, the Lebanese Red Cross is working with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), sharing coordinates and ensuring that all belligerents are informed of the whereabouts of paramedics. This vital work is known as deconfliction, explained Mr. Saad, liaison coordinator with the Lebanese Red Cross.
But despite all these measures in place, rescuers remain the target.
“That’s why Red Cross volunteers kiss and say goodbye before each mission,” he explained.
The assassination of Youssef Assaf and Hassan Badawi still haunts their fellow volunteers who have no explanation for why they were targeted. Such attacks – and the assassination of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil on April 22 – are evidence of a growing trend of “double-dealing,” Mr. Saad insisted.
Killed while carrying a stretcher
Hassan Badawi was killed in a strike as he exited an ambulance with a stretcher during a rescue mission in southern Lebanon, Mr. Saad said, “a drone attacked him directly, leaving 300 pieces of shrapnel in his body.”
Given UNIFIL’s key role in deconfliction, its imminent withdrawal and withdrawal from Lebanon next year is unthinkable, says the Red Cross worker: “I don’t know who will support us, but UNIFIL, in reality, have been international witnesses to what is happening. They may not have stopped the war or provided a security framework, but they have been the only real witnesses to this situation.”
In the meantime, the 5,000 Red Cross volunteers will continue to go on missions and risk their lives. They can access areas within the so-called “yellow line” – a no-go zone inside southern Lebanon created by the Israeli military last month – but cannot enter battlefield areas near the border, not even to collect corpses.
“They are not soldiers, their only weapon is a bandage and helping people,” which should be a sufficient reason to protect them, insists Mr. Saad.
