A hospital in southern Lebanon was shelled by Israeli forces on Friday, resulting in the injury of nine medical and nursing staff members, most of whom sustained serious wounds. The attack occurred after the hospital had been warned to evacuate its staff and patients. The incident highlights the escalating violence in Lebanon, where the Israeli military has been engaged in a ground incursion against the Hezbollah militant group since Tuesday.
According to a statement released by Salah Ghandour Hospital in Bint Jbeil, the shelling caused chaos and panic among the staff, who were forced to take shelter in corridors and stairwells to avoid the incoming fire. The hospital’s medical staff, including doctors and nurses, were rushed to local clinics and hospitals for treatment, with most of them being admitted to intensive care units.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 28 health workers in Lebanon have been killed in the past 24 hours, citing the ongoing violence and chaos in the country. The WHO’s statement underscores the devastating impact of the conflict on Lebanon’s healthcare system, which is already severely stretched due to the influx of refugees fleeing war in neighboring Syria.
The Israeli military had claimed earlier on Friday that rescue vehicles were being used by Hezbollah to transport militants and weapons, a claim that has been disputed by the Lebanese government. The accusation comes amid a backdrop of heightened tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, where Israeli aircraft and artillery have been pounding positions held by Hezbollah.
Israeli Shelling of Lebanese Hospital Highlights Devastating Impact on Healthcare Amid Intensifying Border Clashes (Image via Getty)
The hospital attack is not an isolated incident; earlier on Friday, an Israeli airstrike cut off a main highway linking Lebanon with Syria, leaving two huge craters on either side of the road. The road, which had been used by tens of thousands of refugees fleeing war in Lebanon, is now impassable, forcing people to trek on foot to the Masnaa Border Crossing.
The conflict in Lebanon has been ongoing since Tuesday, when Israel launched a ground incursion against Hezbollah, while continuing airstrikes in Gaza against the Hamas militant group. The conflict has already claimed the lives of nearly 2,000 people in Lebanon, with most of the dead occurring since September 23, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
The crisis in Gaza has been equally dire, with more than 41,000 Palestinians killed in the territory sinceIsrael declared war on Hamas in response to a cross-border attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. The large majority of the dead, accounting for just over half the total, have been women and children, according to local health officials.
