Red Cross Concerned for Hospitals in Southern Lebanon: What If the Conflict Escalates?

The regional director of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Middle East, Fabrizio Carboni, warned on Wednesday that the escalation of fighting on Lebanon's southern border would exacerbate the suffering of hospitals that are already experiencing a cash shortage in a country facing a financial crisis. Doctors in southern Lebanon have raised alarms, stating that the influx of the injured has pushed the health sector to its limits. Carboni noted that Lebanon lacks the necessary resources to support its health facilities during a conversation with Reuters outside the Marjayoun hospital near the country's border with Israel. He said, “You also have many health sector employees who have left the country, so yes, there are concerns.” He added, "We know something needs to happen, and we hope the situation does not deteriorate. The situation will require substantial medical support for the people of southern Lebanon and all those affected by the conflict." The director of Marjayoun hospital stated that the hospital has 14 emergency beds and is struggling to continue operations due to a lack of staff and necessary fuel. The hospital operates its generators for 20 hours a day and spends $20,000 monthly on fuel. Carboni urged the warring parties on the Lebanon-Israel border to respect the protective status of medical staff and facilities, saying it is "very frightening and extremely concerning" to see cases where rescue workers are killed due to shelling. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reports that seven rescue workers and medics have been killed due to Israeli shelling over the past five months.