From Gaza to Lebanon: Hospitals are military targets
As the war intensifies, Lebanese healthcare is in an increasingly precarious state, and those trying to save lives appear to have become a new target.
BeirutOn Sunday, rescue teams continued clearing debris from the primary care center bombed early Saturday morning in Burj Qalawiya, southern Lebanon. Among the building's wreckage, emergency services recovered the bodies of more paramedics who were on duty at the time of the attack. With this update, the Lebanese Ministry of Health raised the number of healthcare workers killed since the bombing to 32. the start of the Israeli offensive on March 2A figure that reflects the extent to which the war is beginning to affect those trying to save lives.
The latest official tally also puts the death toll at 850 and more than 2,105 wounded in less than two weeks of bombing. Meanwhile, five hospitals have had to close following direct attacks or threats, while ambulances and rescue teams report working under the constant risk of further airstrikes.
The bombing of the Burj Qalawiya medical center in the south of the country, which left dozens of victims among medical and emergency personnel, has become one of the deadliest episodes for the Lebanese healthcare system since the escalation began. Authorities say that several paramedics died while participating in rescue operations. Israel maintains that some of these facilities are part of Hezbollah's infrastructure and accuses the Shiite movement of using ambulances, clinics, and other civilian infrastructure for military activities. Humanitarian organizations and Lebanese health officials reject these accusations and reiterate that international humanitarian law protects medical personnel even in combat zones.
The pattern is reminiscent of what was observed during the war in Gaza, where hospitals, ambulances, and health centers were repeatedly singled out by the Israeli army as part of Hamas's infrastructure. In both scenarios, Israel argued that armed groups were using medical facilities for military purposes, an accusation that humanitarian organizations question due to the risk it poses to the protection of healthcare in war zones.
As the bombing continues, hospitals in the suburbs of Beirut tries to maintain its activity under the threat of airstrikesFor many residents, these facilities have become the only healthcare centers available in repeatedly bombed neighborhoods. In recent days, evacuation notices directed at two major hospitals in the area, Al Sahel and Bahman, triggered the urgent transfer of patients to other centers in the capital. Teams from the Lebanese Red Cross evacuated several patients while health authorities searched for available spaces in Beirut hospitals.
Tensions escalated when an Israeli airstrike hit a building next to Bahman Hospital in Haret Hreik, causing significant damage. Although the hospital was not directly targeted, the incident reinforced fears that other centers could become targets if the offensive intensifies. "If the conscience of the international community remains alive, the neutrality of hospitals must be protected," Ali Kreim, director general of Bahman Hospital, told ARA by telephone. "We are not a partisan institution, but a healthcare center that must remain at the service of the population."
Prepare for more victims
Despite the climate of uncertainty, many hospitals say they are trying to maintain activity even in areas hit by bombingsIn Hadath, a southern suburb of Beirut that has also been affected by Israeli attacks, one of the area's main medical centers continues to receive patients for treatment, and not just war victims. Other medical centers have begun reorganizing their services to prepare for a potential surge in wounded should the bombing intensify. Some hospitals have reduced their staff to free up beds in anticipation of a possible mass influx of casualties, while maintaining essential services such as dialysis and cancer treatments. Health officials explain that hospitals in the capital are closely coordinating patient distribution to prevent some facilities from becoming overwhelmed while others retain capacity. Within this framework, patients from threatened or partially evacuated centers have been redistributed among various Beirut hospitals as part of a joint effort to keep the healthcare system operational. The president of Lebanon's private hospitals union, Pierre Yared, emphasizes that medical centers are cooperating to respond to the pressure of the war and ensure that patients continue to receive medical care. However, the healthcare system, weakened by years of economic crisis, faces significant logistical challenges. Hospital officials estimate that fuel reserves—necessary to power generators—are only sufficient for a week to ten days, and medicines for approximately a month, provided supply chains are not disrupted by the conflict. To adapt to the situation, many hospitals have implemented rotating shifts for medical staff after some workers decided to leave the area with their families for fear of renewed bombing.