Amnesty International calls for war crimes probe into Israeli attacks on Lebanon’s health sector
Beirut, Lebanon: Amnesty International has called for an investigation into Israel’s attacks on ambulances, paramedics, and health facilities during its recent conflict with Hezbollah, urging that these actions be examined as potential war crimes.
The human rights organisation stated that Israel’s military had repeatedly targeted medical institutions and personnel, which are protected under international law. “The Israeli military’s repeated unlawful attacks during the war in Lebanon on health facilities, ambulances, and health workers must be investigated as war crimes,” Amnesty said.
The fighting between Israel and Hezbollah lasted for over a year, with two months of full-scale conflict that saw Israeli ground forces deployed. The hostilities effectively ended with a truce on 27 November, as reported by AFP.
During the conflict, the Israeli military alleged that Hezbollah was using ambulances operated by the Islamic Health Committee to transport fighters and weapons. However, Hezbollah denied these claims.
Amnesty International investigated four Israeli strikes on medical vehicles and facilities in Beirut and southern Lebanon between 3 and 9 October last year. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 19 medical personnel, injuries to 11 others, and the destruction of multiple ambulances and two medical facilities. The organisation stated it found no evidence that these facilities or vehicles were being used for military purposes at the time.
Lebanon’s then-health minister, Firass Abiad, reported in December that Israeli strikes had killed 16 people in 67 attacks on hospitals, including 40 direct strikes. He also noted 238 attacks on emergency response organisations, resulting in 206 deaths, and the targeting of 256 emergency vehicles, including fire trucks and ambulances.
Amnesty urged the Lebanese government to grant the International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed on Lebanese territory and ensure victims’ right to legal recourse.
The rights group said it had sent a letter detailing its findings to the Israeli military in November but had not received a response. “The Israeli military has not provided sufficient justifications or specific evidence of military targets being present at the strike locations,” Amnesty stated, adding that the repeated attacks had further weakened Lebanon’s already fragile healthcare system.
According to Lebanese authorities, the conflict resulted in over 4,000 deaths and caused widespread devastation in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs. The reconstruction costs are estimated to exceed $10 billion.
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Drug peddler's property worth Rs 1 crore attached in Srinagar
Srinagar (PTI): Property worth Rs 1 crore belonging to a notorious drug peddler was on Saturday attached in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, police said.
A double-storey house on eight marlas of land situated at Wantpora Eidgah, belonging to Basit Bilal Dar, a notorious drug peddler, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, a police spokesperson said.
He said Dar is involved in two cases registered under various sections of the NDPS Act.
During investigation, it was established that the accused had acquired the said property through illicit proceeds generated from drug trafficking activities, the spokesperson said.
Consequently, the property was attached under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The attachment proceedings were conducted in the presence of the two independent witnesses, strictly in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures, he said.
As per the attachment order, the owner has been restrained from selling, leasing, transferring, altering, or creating any third-party interest in the property till further orders, the spokesperson added.
