'More tragedy' as five separate attacks on southern Lebanon kill nine paramedics and wound seven others, WHO chief says [View all]

[muriel_volestrangler]

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organisation, has called for an end to attacks on medical staff after nine paramedics were ​killed in southern Lebanon on Saturday.

They were killed while working in the field in five separate attacks on Lebanese villages, Tedros said, bringing the number of health workers killed this month to 51. Seven medics were also reportedly wounded.

He wrote on X:

More tragedy in southern Lebanon today … March has been the second most deadly month for health workers in Lebanon since [the] WHO started monitoring attacks on health care in the country in October 2023.

More than 120 health workers have also been reportedly wounded since the escalation began in Lebanon on 2 March, overwhelmingly in the country’s south.

In Zoutar al-Sharqiya, five health workers were killed in a strike and two were injured, one critically. Two more health workers were killed and three wounded in Kfar Tibnit; one paramedic died in an attack at a health facility in Ghandouriyeh, while another was killed in a strike in Jezzine. Two were wounded in an attack on Kfar Dajjal

He added:

Health workers are protected under international humanitarian law and should never be targeted.

The only way to end these tragedies is to end attacks on health care, NOW!

Four hospitals and 51 primary health care centres in Lebanon were currently closed, “significantly limiting access to essential care at a time when it is most needed”, he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/28/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-updates-trump-us-negotiations-israel-strikes-lebanon-tehran-syria-explosions?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-69c81d2e8f08a9060e5ec34b#block-69c81d2e8f08a9060e5ec34b