At least four hospitals in Lebanon announced on Friday that they are halting operations due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Meanwhile, a Hezbollah-affiliated health organization reported that 11 paramedics were killed in the past 24 hours.
These closures come after two weeks of continuous Israeli strikes targeting hospitals and healthcare workers, resulting in at least 37 medical facilities being shut down and dozens of healthcare professionals killed, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Late Friday, the Israeli army issued a statement accusing Hezbollah of using medical vehicles to transport fighters and weapons, warning that it would target any vehicles suspected of military use.
Hospital staff in southern Lebanon reported that facilities treating wounded civilians had been directly hit by Israeli airstrikes. The BBC reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment.
Dr. Mounes Kalakish, director of Marjayoun Governmental Hospital in southern Lebanon, told the BBC that the hospital was forced to shut down on Friday after an Israeli airstrike hit two ambulances at the hospital’s entrance, killing seven paramedics.
“The nurses and doctors were terrified,” Dr. Kalakish explained. “We tried to reassure them and continue our work, but it was impossible.”
Dr. Shoshana Mazraani, the hospital’s emergency director, recounted how she was seated at the front of the building when the airstrike occurred. She heard the cries of the injured paramedics and rushed toward the damaged ambulances, only to be warned by colleagues to stay back due to fears of a follow-up strike.
Marjayoun Hospital had already been operating with minimal resources, Dr. Mazraani said. The hospital was down to a core team of 20 doctors from its usual 120 staff. Friday’s closure was described as a “tragedy for the region” by Dr. Mazraani, as the facility served numerous surrounding villages, providing 45 inpatient beds and essential services like dialysis.
“We’ve had to turn away emergency cases and tell others to leave,” she added.
In Beirut’s southern suburbs, Rita Suleiman, nursing director of Saint Therese Hospital, described how their facility was heavily damaged by an airstrike on Friday. Despite their efforts to continue, the hospital eventually had to suspend all services.
Other hospitals are operating under extreme conditions. Dr. Mohammed Hamadeh, director of Tebnine Hospital, said on Friday that a nearby blast rocked their building.
“The explosion was very close,” Dr. Hamadeh stated. “We are still trying to function, but it is too dangerous to leave the hospital premises.”
