Amnesty International called for an investigation into Israel’s attacks on ambulances, health facilities, and healthcare workers during its recent conflict with Hezbollah, labeling them potential war crimes. The call follows a year of hostilities that included a two-month intense military campaign, which ceased with a November 27 truce.
Amnesty argued that the Israeli military’s repeated attacks on health infrastructure in Lebanon, protected under international law, must be thoroughly examined. Despite Israeli accusations that Hezbollah was using ambulances for military purposes, Amnesty found no evidence to support these claims during their investigation of four attacks between October 3 and 9, 2024, which resulted in the deaths of 19 healthcare workers and the destruction of medical facilities and ambulances.
Lebanon’s former health minister, Firass Abiad, reported significant damage, with 67 attacks on hospitals, 238 on emergency response organizations, and 256 vehicles targeted, resulting in widespread casualties. Amnesty also called on the Lebanese government to provide the International Criminal Court with jurisdiction to investigate these actions.
With over 4,000 deaths and significant infrastructure damage, the conflict has left Lebanon with an estimated $10 billion in reconstruction costs.
