Reply #1: Another day, another massacre. [View All]

[Englander]

12-08-2006 Press Release 06/93
Lebanon – Israel: ICRC deplores increasing number of civilian casualties and lack of respect for medical mission

On the night of 11 August hundreds of people fleeing the area of Marjayoun by car came under fire from Israeli aircraft. Six dead and 32 wounded were evacuated by the LRC to nearby hospitals. Among the dead was one LRC first-aid volunteer, Mikhael Jbayleh, who was killed while assisting a wounded person. The ICRC and the LRC are deeply shocked by the loss of their colleague.

In another incident earlier that day, two volunteers were injured when an LRC ambulance was hit directly by two projectiles while heading to an LRC centre in Tebnine, east of Tyre. According to LRC sources, no hostilities were taking place in the vicinity at the time of the incident.

The ICRC deplores the continuing lack of respect for the rules governing the conduct of hostilities, such as the distinction between military objectives and civilian persons and objects.

Medical personnel, ambulances and other means of medical transport must be respected and protected, and their work must be facilitated.

The ICRC has repeatedly expressed its concerns about insufficient precautions taken in attacks by the parties to the armed conflict. It is unacceptable that after more than 30 days of ongoing military operations all necessary precautions to spare civilian life and those engaged in medical work have still not been taken.

http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/lebanon-news-120806?opendocument