Amnesty International has urged investigations into Israeli attacks on health facilities in Lebanon, labeling them as war crimes. The Lebanese government is encouraged to grant jurisdiction to the ICC for prosecution. Additionally, South Africa denounces Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza as starvation tactics and calls for international accountability. The conflict has resulted in considerable human and infrastructural loss.
Amnesty International has called for investigations into Israeli attacks on ambulances, paramedics, and healthcare facilities during the recent conflict with Hezbollah, classifying these as potential war crimes. The clashes, which saw significant military engagement, primarily halted following a truce on November 27. During the conflict, Israel alleged that Hezbollah misused ambulances, a claim that the group has refuted.
Amnesty emphasized that the repeated unlawful assaults on protected medical entities demand scrutiny. The organization has urged the Lebanese government to confer jurisdiction to the International Criminal Court to probe and prosecute war crimes that occurred on Lebanese soil. This would ensure victims’ rights to redress.
The Israeli military has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the findings reported by Amnesty. Lebanon’s former health minister, Firass Abiad, reported 67 attacks on hospitals—40 of which were targeted—resulting in 16 fatalities. He also cited 238 assaults on emergency response teams, claiming 206 deaths occurred as a result of these attacks, alongside damage to numerous emergency vehicles.
Further investigations by Amnesty revealed that four Israeli attacks from October 3 to 9 led to the deaths of 19 healthcare workers and injuries to 11 others. Notably, no evidence was found indicating these medical facilities or vehicles were utilized for military purposes during the strikes. Amnesty had contacted the Israeli military for clarification but received no response.
Amnesty highlighted the absence of substantial justifications from the Israeli military regarding these attacks, which have severely impacted Lebanon’s healthcare framework. According to Lebanese reports, an estimated 4,000 individuals lost their lives due to the hostilities, with damage incurred estimated to exceed $10 billion.
Separately, South Africa condemned Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, characterizing the restrictions as a strategy of starvation as a weapon of war. The South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that preventing food access continued Israel’s alleged genocidal campaign against the Palestinian population.
Describing the situation as dire, South Africa called on the global community to hold Israel accountable for its actions. While Israel aims to extend the ceasefire terms until mid-April, Hamas has called for transitioning to a permanent ceasefire agreement.
South Africa has also filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, claiming violations of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention, a charge Israel vehemently rejects. The situation has attracted support from multiple nations, including Spain, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, Turkiye, Chile, and Libya. Additionally, South Africa criticized Israel’s expansion of military actions in the occupied West Bank, warning that this could further jeopardize Palestinian self-determination efforts.
In summary, Amnesty International has called for thorough investigations into Israeli military actions against the health sector in Lebanon, citing potential war crimes. The plea for jurisdiction transfer to the ICC aims to uphold the rights of victims. Concurrently, South Africa has condemned Israel’s humanitarian blockade in Gaza, likening it to starvation tactics, and has sought international accountability for these actions. The ongoing conflict underscores a complex situation with significant humanitarian implications.
Original Source: www.dawn.com
