Lebanon hospitals close as Israeli strikes hit health facilities

In Lebanon, the ongoing conflict has led to the closure of several hospitals due to Israeli airstrikes. On Friday, four hospitals announced that they would be suspending their operations as a result of these attacks. This alarming situation has been compounded by reports from a health organization affiliated with Hezbollah, which stated that 11 paramedics lost their lives in the past 24 hours alone. According to the World Health Organization, the recent wave of Israeli strikes has forced at least 37 healthcare facilities to shut down and has resulted in the deaths of numerous medical personnel. The Israeli army has claimed that Hezbollah is using ambulances to transport fighters and weapons, and they have issued warnings that they will target any vehicle they suspect of being used for military purposes. Hospital staff in southern Lebanon have reported that health facilities treating injured civilians have also been directly hit by Israeli airstrikes. The BBC has reached out to the Israeli Defense Forces for their comments on the situation. Dr. Mounes Kalakish, the director of the Marjayoun governmental hospital in southern Lebanon, shared that they had no choice but to close after an airstrike struck two ambulances at the hospital's entrance, resulting in the deaths of seven paramedics. He described the atmosphere in the hospital as one of fear, stating, 'The nurses and doctors were terrified. ' Despite their efforts to continue working, the situation became untenable. Dr. Shoshana Mazraani, the emergency director at the hospital, recounted her experience during the strike, saying she was at the front of the building when it occurred. She heard the cries of the paramedics who were injured and rushed towards the damaged ambulances, but her colleagues warned her to stay back due to the risk of a follow-up strike. The Marjayoun hospital was already operating with a significantly reduced staff, with only 20 doctors remaining from the usual 120. Dr. Mazraani expressed her sorrow over the closure, calling it a 'tragedy for the region. ' She emphasized the importance of their services, stating, 'We serve a huge population here, many villages. We had 45 inpatient beds, all now empty. We were the only hospital providing dialysis in the region, for example. We have had to turn away emergency patients and tell others to leave. ' Rita Suleiman, the nursing director at the Saint Therese hospital, located on the outskirts of Beirut's southern suburbs, also reported that their hospital had been severely damaged by a strike on Friday, leading them to suspend all services. Other hospitals in the area are continuing to operate but with very limited capabilities. Dr. Mohammed Hamadeh, the director of the Tebnine hospital, described how a nearby strike shook their building, stating, 'The blast was very close. We are still trying to operate but we cannot leave the confines of the hospital because it is too dangerous. ' A healthcare center in central Beirut was also struck on Thursday, with Israel claiming it was affiliated with Hezbollah. Later that night, the Salah Ghandour hospital in Bint Jbeil announced its closure after being 'violently shelled,' following an order from the Israeli army to evacuate. The Israeli army stated that they were targeting a mosque adjacent to the hospital, which they claimed was being used by Hezbollah fighters. The attacks on healthcare facilities have not been limited to the southern region of Lebanon. The Israeli army reported that they targeted a location linked to Hezbollah, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals and injuries to 14 others. The Lebanese Red Cross reported that four of their paramedics were wounded in a strike on a convoy evacuating patients, despite having coordinated with the Israeli army. Gabriel Karlsson, the country manager for the British Red Cross in Beirut, emphasized the need for health and aid workers to be able to assist those in need without fearing for their own safety. He stated, 'Teams from the Red Cross and Red Crescent are a lifeline, supporting communities tirelessly - they must be protected. ' The director-general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reported that 28 healthcare workers had been killed in Lebanon over the previous 24 hours, and many other healthcare staff were no longer reporting for work due to the ongoing strikes. Dr. Kalakish, the director of the Marjayoun hospital, noted that prior to the strike that forced their closure, they were already operating without an anaesthesiologist or other specialists. Some staff had fled the bombardment for their own safety, while others were unable to reach the hospital because of airstrikes on nearby roads. Lebanon's Health Minister, Firass Abiad, stated that since the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel began last October, 97 rescue workers had been killed, with more than 40 of those deaths occurring in just three days this past week.