Lebanese hospitals closed as Israeli attacks on medical facilities

At the least 4 hospitals in Lebanon introduced on Friday that they might droop operations resulting from Israeli assaults, whereas a Hezbollah-affiliated well being group mentioned 11 nursing employees had died previously 24 hours.

The 4 closures capped two weeks of Israeli assaults on Lebanese hospitals and well being care staff, which resulted within the closure of no less than 37 amenities and the deaths of dozens of medical employees, in response to the World Well being Group.

Late on Friday night time, the Israeli military issued a press release claiming that Hezbollah was utilizing medical automobiles to move fighters and weapons and warned that it might assault any automobiles suspected of getting used for army functions.

Hospital employees in southern Lebanon informed the BBC that medical amenities treating injured civilians had come underneath direct Israeli assault. The BBC has contacted the Israel Protection Forces for remark.

Dr. Munes Karakish, director of the Majayon Authorities Hospital in southern Lebanon, informed the BBC that the hospital had no selection after an airstrike hit two ambulances on the hospital’s entrance on Friday, killing seven paramedics. Closed solely on Fridays.

“Nurses and docs are scared,” he mentioned. “We tried to appease them and proceed working, however it was inconceivable.”

Dr. Shoshana Mazraani, director of the hospital’s emergency room, mentioned she was sitting in entrance of the constructing when the strike occurred. She mentioned she heard the screams of the paramedic who had been hit and ran in direction of the stricken ambulance, however colleagues warned her to remain away for concern of subsequent strikes.

Dr. Mazraani mentioned Marjayoun Hospital was hanging on by a thread, with solely 20 docs left within the core workforce of the middle’s normal 120 employees. Friday’s closure was “a tragedy for the area,” she mentioned.

“We serve a big inhabitants right here, many villages. Now we have 45 inpatient beds, all of which at the moment are empty. For instance, we’re the one hospital within the space that gives dialysis. Now we have to show away emergency sufferers and let others go.

Rita Suleiman, director of nursing at St. Teresa’s hospital on the sting of Beirut’s southern suburbs, informed the BBC that the hospital had additionally been struggling after being severely broken by Friday’s strike however later compelled to droop operations. All providers.

Different hospitals proceed to supply severely restricted providers. Dr Mohamed Hamad, director of Terbuning Hospital, informed the BBC on Friday that the close by strike had shaken the constructing.

“The explosion was very shut,” he mentioned. “We’re nonetheless making an attempt to function, however we can not go away the confines of the hospital as a result of it’s too harmful.”

Late on Friday night time, Bint Jubail’s Saraqandour Hospital introduced it had closed after coming underneath “heavy shelling” after Israeli forces ordered an evacuation.

Israeli forces mentioned they focused a mosque close to the hospital, which they claimed was utilized by Hezbollah militants.

Assaults on well being amenities aren’t restricted to southern Lebanon. Israel attacked a medical center in central Beirut on Thursday Belonging to the Islamic Well being Group, which is linked to Hezbollah, 9 individuals have been killed and 14 injured.

The Lebanese Pink Cross mentioned Thursday that 4 of its paramedics have been injured when a convoy evacuating sufferers got here underneath assault, regardless of the group’s coordination with the Israeli military.

Gabriel Karlsson, the British Pink Cross nation supervisor in Beirut, informed the BBC: “Well being and support staff should be capable of assist individuals in want with out fearing for their very own security. Pink Cross and Pink Crescent The workforce is a lifeline, offering assist to these in want.

World Well being Group Director-Basic Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned on Thursday that 28 well being care staff had misplaced their lives in Lebanon previously 24 hours, and lots of different well being care staff have been off work resulting from strikes.

Dr. Karakish, director of Marjayoun Hospital, informed the BBC that earlier than the strike closed his hospital, it was already working with out an anesthetist or different specialists.

He mentioned some employees fled the bombing for their very own security, whereas others have been unable to succeed in the hospital resulting from airstrikes on close by roads.

Lebanese Well being Minister Firas Abiad mentioned on Thursday that 97 support staff had been killed since preventing between Hezbollah and Israel started final October.

He mentioned greater than 40 paramedics and firefighters arrived in simply three days final week.