Family members mourn as they take part in the funeral of two first aid responders the day after they were killed in an Israeli airstrike, in the southern city of Nabatieh. AFP
British surgeon Dr. Tom Potokar, who was inside Gaza’s European hospital near Khan Younis when it was bombed by Israel ten months ago, told Sky News on Thursday that violation of international humanitarian laws has become normalized.
"Once again, we’re seeing attacks on the medical infrastructure, just like we saw in Gaza, but this time in Lebanon. Once again, we’re seeing attacks on hospital staff, ambulance workers, and first responders," added Potokar.
He said there was the familiar “condemnation and words from political leaders, yet no action. Nothing is done to stop these violations."
Hospitals should be places of refuge where you can receive treatment and be protected under international law. Yet they and first responders continue to be subject to attack.
As of Thursday, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,116 Lebanese people, wounded at least 3,229 others, and displaced more than a million – nearly one in five of the population - since 2 March.
As the Guardian reported earlier this week, Lebanese healthcare workers and officials have said that Israeli bombings have deliberately targeted medical workers and facilities in south Lebanon, including through the use of double-tap strikes, in what they describe as a systematic effort to make the area unlivable.
Since Israel escalated its offensive on Lebanon three weeks ago, it has struck at least 128 medical facilities and ambulances across south Lebanon, killing at least 42 healthcare workers and wounding at least 107, according to the country’s health ministry.
According to The Guardian’s report, most of Israel’s strikes on medics happened while they were sitting in ambulances or at first aid centres, several of which have been destroyed in south Lebanon. Israel has also carried out at least five double-tap strikes, a tactic in which an initial strike is followed by a pause, allowing medical workers to arrive before the area is bombed for a second time.
Medical workers and hospitals are protected under international law, and deliberately targeting them could constitute a war crime. Amnesty International said on Thursday that, regardless of political affiliation, medical workers are considered civilians and targeting them is unlawful.
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