Human Rights Watch: Raid that killed seven paramedics in southern Lebanon is 'unlawful'

The organization "Human Rights Watch" stated on Tuesday that the Israeli raid on an ambulance center in southern Lebanon, which resulted in the deaths of seven paramedics, constitutes an "unlawful attack on civilians," calling on Washington to suspend arms sales to Israel.

The non-governmental organization said in a statement, "The Israeli airstrike on an ambulance center in southern Lebanon on March 27, 2024, is an unlawful attack on civilians and did not take all necessary precautions."

It added, "If the airstrike was deliberate or carried out recklessly, it must be investigated as a presumed war crime."

Human Rights Watch considered the Israeli army's acknowledgment of targeting the center as "indicative, at a minimum, of the Israeli army's failure to take all possible precautions to ensure that the target was military and to avoid civilian casualties," making "the airstrike unlawful."

The organization quoted the head of the Emergency and Relief Unit, relatives of the victims, and their colleagues as saying that the seven victims, the oldest of whom was not more than 25 years old, were all volunteers at the center since late 2023, explaining that twin brothers (18 years old) were among the victims.

It added, "Relatives of the victims, the Lebanese Red Cross, and civil defense all agreed that the seven men were civilians and not affiliated with any armed group." However, it simultaneously pointed out that social media posts may indicate that at least two of the victims may have been "supporters" of the Islamic Group.

The organization reviewed images and videos of remnants of the ammunition used in the airstrike, which included remnants of Israeli bombs and fragments and fins from the "Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) manufactured by the American company Boeing."

A Lebanese researcher at the organization, Ramzi Kaiss, said, "The Israeli army used US-made ammunition to carry out an airstrike that killed seven civilian paramedics in Lebanon who were performing their duties," considering that "Israel provided empty assurances to the United States of its commitment to the laws of war."

The organization urged Washington to "immediately halt the flow of weapons to avoid further atrocities."

AFP