Amnesty International calls for investigation into Israeli attacks on Lebanon's health sector

Amnesty International said on Wednesday that Israel's attacks on ambulances, paramedics, and health facilities during its recent war with Hezbollah should be investigated as war crimes.

A November 27 truce agreement essentially halted more than a year of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, including two months of all-out war during which Israel sent in ground troops.

During the conflict, the Israeli military accused the Iran-backed group of using ambulances belonging to the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee for transporting fighters and weapons, accusations the group denied.

According to Amnesty, "the Israeli military's repeated unlawful attacks during the war in Lebanon on health facilities, ambulances, and health workers, which are protected under international law, must be investigated as war crimes."

It urged the Lebanese government to provide the International Criminal Court with "jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes within the Rome Statute committed on Lebanese territory, and ensure victims' right to remedy."

AFP