Background 

Since the resumption of large-scale invasion by Israel on 2 March 2026, Lebanese healthcare workers have continued to provide life-saving medical care under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions. However, the escalation of hostilities has been accompanied by an alarming increase in attacks affecting healthcare personnel, medical facilities, and emergency medical services, placing both healthcare workers and civilians at heightened risk. 

Several incidents have been documented by humanitarian actors, including CLDH. On 29 April 2026, three Lebanese Civil Defence volunteers were reportedly killed while carrying out a rescue operation in South Lebanon. During the same period, a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance worker was also killed while responding to an emergency. 

On 2 June 2026, a strike hit Jabal Amel Hospital in Tyre, causing casualties among those present, including healthcare personnel. Hiram Hospital was also affected during the same period. 

These incidents have occurred at a time when Lebanon's healthcare system was already severely weakened by years of economic collapse, political instability, and repeated humanitarian crises. 

CLDH Findings 

According to the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)'s monitoring of violations affecting medical teams, ambulances, healthcare facilities, and medical personnel, 127 incidents were documented between 2 March and 23 June 2026. 

The documented incidents include attacks affecting hospitals and other healthcare facilities, ambulances and emergency medical transport, healthcare workers, and first responders engaged in rescue operations. Together, these findings indicate a persistent pattern of incidents disrupting the provision of healthcare and emergency medical services, with serious humanitarian consequences for affected communities. 

CLDH continues to document these incidents in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law standards to support accountability efforts, strengthen evidence-based advocacy, and contribute to the protection of healthcare in situations of armed conflict. 

Repeated Attacks on Healthcare 

According to WHO, as of 2 June 2026, attacks on healthcare in Lebanon since the escalation on 2 March 2026 had resulted in: 

128 healthcare workers killed and 332 injured, with nearly 190 verified attacks on healthcare. 

The death toll continued to rise with additional casualties among medical personnel and extensive damage to healthcare infrastructure. 

Attacks affecting healthcare personnel and medical infrastructure in Lebanon form part of a broader pattern of documented incidents since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023. 

Amnesty International documented several Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities and ambulances in October 2024 that resulted in the deaths of medical and rescue personnel. In the incidents it investigated, Amnesty International stated that it did not identify evidence demonstrating that the medical facilities or ambulances examined were being used for military purposes. 

The Israeli authorities have, in several instances, stated that certain medical facilities or ambulances were being used by Hezbollah for military purposes. These allegations have been disputed by Lebanese health authorities and have not been independently verified in many reported cases. 

International Humanitarian Law Considerations 

International humanitarian law (IHL) provides special protection to medical personnel, healthcare facilities, ambulances, and medical transport during armed conflict. Under Article 24 of the First Geneva Convention and Article 15 of Additional Protocol I, medical personnel must be respected and protected at all times. Civilian hospitals are similarly protected under Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and may not be targeted unless they lose their protected status by being used for military purposes. 

The reported attacks on hospitals, as well as attacks on medical personnel, raise serious concerns of violations of these protections. Likewise, attacks on ambulances and other medical transport, protected under the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocols—constitute potential violations of IHL, particularly where the vehicles were clearly identifiable and exclusively engaged in humanitarian functions. 

These attacks undermine the principle of medical neutrality and violate the core IHL principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution, which require parties to distinguish between civilian and military objectives and minimize harm to civilians and protected objects. 

Where intentionally directed against protected medical personnel, facilities, or transport without lawful military justification, such attacks may amount to war crimes under international humanitarian law. Beyond their immediate human cost, they disrupt healthcare services, deter humanitarian operations, and further restrict civilians' access to essential medical care during armed conflict. 

 

Humanitarian Consequences 

If attacks affecting healthcare continue and are not independently investigated, their consequences will extend well beyond the immediate victims. 

Key humanitarian consequences include: 

  • Reduced access to healthcare: Damage to, or the closure of, hospitals and healthcare facilities deprives communities of access to essential medical services, particularly in South Lebanon and parts of the Bekaa. 

  • Increased mortality and morbidity: Delays in emergency response, reduced surgical capacity, shortages of specialized services, and interruptions to routine healthcare place both conflict-related casualties and patients with chronic or life-threatening conditions at greater risk. 

  • Psychological impact on healthcare workers: Repeated exposure to attacks, insecurity, and the loss of colleagues contributes to trauma, burnout, and staff shortages, undermining the resilience of the healthcare workforce. 

  • Further weakening of an already fragile health system: Years of economic crisis have significantly reduced the capacity of Lebanon's public health system. Continued attacks on healthcare further diminish its ability to respond to humanitarian needs and future emergencies. 

Recommendations 

To the international community and donors 

  • Ensure adequate, predictable, and flexible funding for Lebanon's health sector within humanitarian response plans to support emergency response, recovery, and long-term resilience. 

  • Strengthen the operational capacity and resilience of local health actors, including emergency medical services, first responders, the Lebanese Red Cross, Civil Defense, and community-based healthcare providers, in line with the Grand Bargain localization commitments. 

  • Support independent, impartial, and effective investigations and documentation efforts into alleged violations of international humanitarian law affecting healthcare. 

  • Support initiatives aimed at preserving evidence, strengthening accountability mechanisms, and combating impunity for attacks affecting healthcare. 

  • Call on all parties to the conflict to respect and protect medical personnel, healthcare facilities, medical units, and medical transport, in accordance with international humanitarian law. 

  • Advocate for and support safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access for medical personnel, ambulances, rescue teams, humanitarian organizations, and essential medical supplies throughout affected areas. 

  • Support efforts to strengthen the resilience, recovery, and reconstruction of Lebanon's healthcare system, particularly in conflict-affected areas, through sustained investment in public health infrastructure and essential medical services. 

 

To the Lebanese Government 

  • Systematically document attacks affecting healthcare personnel, facilities, and medical transport using methodologies consistent with international documentation standards. 

  • Enhance protection measures for healthcare workers and emergency responders operating in areas affected by hostilities. 

  • Ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), or, pending ratification, lodge a declaration under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute accepting the Court's jurisdiction over crimes committed on Lebanese territory.