Protective vests and final farewells – Lebanon’s first responders under fire

Recent Israeli attacks resulted in the deaths of a number of paramedics and Lebanese Red Cross volunteers, including Youssef Assaf, who died during a rescue operation on March 9, and Hassan Badawi, who was killed in a drone strike on April 12.

According to the United Nations World Health Organization, 169 confirmed attacks have been documented targeting healthcare workers and medical facilities in Lebanon, killing 116 people. Lebanese authorities report that more than 3,000 people have been killed since the escalation of hostilities, as violence continues despite the ceasefire being in effect.

The UN News team spoke with Thameen Al-Khitan, spokesman for the United Nations Human Rights Office, Tommaso della Longa, spokesman for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Ali Saad from the Lebanese Red Cross. They all agreed on one point: that first responders should never be targets.

Aid workers are in the crosshairs

From a human rights perspective, intentionally targeting medical personnel is a war crime. According to Al-Khitan of the Human Rights Office, the international community must do more to ensure the protection of health care workers in all conflicts.

Al-Khitan confirmed that the office “He documented cases in which Israeli forces launched attacks that included direct strikes targeting civilians, including medical personnel.”

He stressed that such attacks are not a unique precedent, pointing to similar patterns that have been previously documented in Gaza and in other conflicts around the world.

‘They’re not just numbers’

Describing a recent visit to Lebanon, Della Longa of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies recalled the painful sight of Red Cross volunteers wearing protective vests and helmets. “Which is used to prepare for war, not to prepare to save lives.”

Della Longa explained that the details and location of the mission of Youssef Assaf and Hassan Badawi had been informed to the warring parties in advance. They were also traveling in two ambulances clearly bearing the Red Cross emblem when they were killed.

And he said: “I can’t even imagine what it’s like to try to perform CPR inside an ambulance, while the paramedic is wearing a flak jacket and a helmet. And yet, both of them were killed in the line of duty. This is very worrying, because it does not mean that what we took for granted – such as protection, respect for international humanitarian law, respect for international laws in general – is no longer in place. It is also worrying because targeting an ambulance and killing a humanitarian worker means, of course, that entire communities are being weakened.”

He stressed that Lebanon is losing people committed to humanity and serving others, and said: “Behind every paramedic or volunteer killed, there is a family; they are not just numbers. Hassan had a pregnant wife and a son waiting for him at home.”

He renewed his call to the international community to respect and protect civilians, humanitarian workers and medical transport, in line with the provisions of international law.

Danger despite the clash avoidance mechanism

To help protect rescue teams, the Lebanese Red Cross is working in coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)UNIFIL), where they exchange coordinates and ensure that all warring parties are informed of the locations of medics. Saad, a liaison coordinator for the Lebanese Red Cross, explained that this vital work is known as the “coordination/deconfliction” mechanism.

However, despite taking all these measures, rescue personnel are still being targeted.

Saad said: “A lot of our volunteers, when they go on a mission, they hug each other and say goodbye, because they might not come back.”

The killing of Youssef Assaf and Hassan Badawi continues to haunt their fellow volunteers, who have received no explanation as to why they were targeted. Saad stressed that such attacks – as well as the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil on April 22 – are evidence of the growing phenomenon of “Double hit.”

Saad said that Hassan Badawi was killed in an air strike as he was getting out of an ambulance carrying a stretcher during a rescue mission in southern Lebanon, adding: “He was directly attacked by a drone, which resulted in 300 shrapnel lodged in his body.”

“Their weapons, bandages and helping people.”

Given the pivotal role played by UNIFIL in the field of coordination, the reduction of its numbers and its imminent withdrawal from Lebanon by the end of the year is unthinkable, according to the words of the Red Cross liaison coordinator.

And he said: “I don’t know who will provide us with support, but UNIFIL truly serves as an international witness to what is happening here. Although they may not have the ability to stop the war or provide a security umbrella, they were the only real witnesses to this situation.”

Meanwhile, Saad confirmed that the Lebanese Red Cross volunteers will continue to go out on their missions, risking their lives “Without seeking any material gain.”

They can reach areas within what is known as the “yellow line” – a restricted area inside southern Lebanon that was established by the Israeli army last month – but they cannot enter battle zones near the border, not even to recover the bodies of victims.

Saad said that these volunteers “They are not military, their only weapon is bandages and helping people.” This should be sufficient reason to provide them with protection.