Israel's Alleged War Crimes in Targeting Medics in Southern Lebanon

In the tranquil evenings of al-Habbariyeh, a town in southern Lebanon's lush hills, young volunteers from the Lebanese Emergency and Relief Corps would gather to play cards or enjoy an argileh (hookah).

On March 26, Abdullah Sharif Atwi, Abdulrahman al-Shaar, Ahmad al-Shaar, Baraa Abu Qais, Hussein al-Shaar, Muhammad al-Farouq Atwi, and Muhammad Ragheed Hammoud were relaxing on the second floor of their center.

Israeli drones buzzed overhead all day, becoming a background noise. The group, in high spirits, recorded videos and shared jokes.

Just past midnight on March 27, an Israeli airstrike demolished the building, killing the seven young men and severely injuring four others. The victims, mostly students aged 18 to 25, were beloved members of the small community.

Ali Noureddine, a journalist from al-Habbariyeh, reported that villagers rushed to the site, horrified by the devastation. “It’s a small village. We’re all one family,” he said.

Israel also killed 10 other medical workers in three different towns that day, marking March 27 as the deadliest day for medics in southern Lebanon. Despite the Israeli army's claims of targeting a “significant terrorist,” human rights investigations found no evidence of military activity at the sites.

Human Rights Watch has called for the al-Habbariyeh attack to be investigated as a potential war crime. As Hezbollah and Israel continue their conflict, the medical situation in southern Lebanon worsens, with many incidents going unreported.

Data from monitoring groups suggest at least 18 Israeli attacks on medical personnel and facilities in southern Lebanon, killing 20 health workers. Despite international humanitarian law protecting medical workers, these protections lapse if they engage in military activities—an allegation not supported by evidence in these cases.

The attacks have severely impacted the region’s healthcare, which was already struggling due to Lebanon's economic crisis. The Lebanese Emergency and Relief Corps suspended operations in al-Habbariyeh, fearing further attacks on civilians.

Noureddine expressed the community's despair, stating, “Israel hits whoever they want. I don’t know if tomorrow someone else will die or not.” He added, “No one will hold Israel accountable for their actions.”