The High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Trk, on Tuesday expressed dismay at the Israeli airstrike near the Rafik Hariri University Hospital in Beirut’s densely populated Jnah neighborhood.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the High Commissioner said that any incidents affecting hospitals must be subject to a prompt and thorough investigation, referring to the airstrike that killed at least 18 people, including 4 children, and injured 60 others.
He emphasized the need to respect the basic principles of international humanitarian law regarding the protection of civilians, stressing that hospitals, ambulances, and medical personnel enjoy special protection under international humanitarian law because of their function in saving the lives of the wounded and sick.
The UN official urged parties to the conflict to assess the expected impact on health services with regard to the principles of proportionality and precautions.
Source: Jordan News Agency