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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
UN, March 31 /Xinhua/ — Amid the fighting in the Middle East, attacks on healthcare facilities in Lebanon have sharply increased, while humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip are becoming increasingly difficult, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
OCHA said attacks on health facilities, ambulances and medical personnel in Lebanon are increasing at an alarming rate.
The WHO reported seven incidents over the past weekend alone, resulting in the deaths of at least nine health workers on duty.
In southern Lebanon, ambulances were hit, including those transporting victims of an earlier attack in the city of Kfar Sir in Nabatieh province, according to OCHA.
According to OCHA estimates, 87 attacks on healthcare facilities have been recorded since the conflict began escalating, killing 52 health workers and injuring another 126.
In a joint statement released last weekend, UN Deputy Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza and WHO Representative in Lebanon Abdinasir Abubakar called for the protection of health workers and emergency services personnel. They stressed that medical personnel and healthcare facilities should under no circumstances be targeted.
OCHA said Lebanese authorities reported that at least 96 people were killed over the weekend, bringing the total number of casualties since the conflict began to 1,238, and the number of injured to more than 3,500.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, OCHA and its partners continue to work closely with the Lebanese government to provide assistance to those in need. WHO and health partners conducted over 33,500 medical consultations for displaced people and provided essential medicines to over 22,500 people.
Attacks killing civilians continue in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, while restrictions on humanitarian operations continue to escalate, OCHA stressed.
Residential areas in Gaza were reportedly hit by both ground and air strikes over the weekend. OCHA also has information about fatal shootings involving Israeli forces and attacks related to Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Several international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said Monday they intend to appeal to Israel's Supreme Court to challenge Israel's new NGO registration system, which they say further restricts the activities of such entities in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
OCHA noted that international NGOs play a crucial role in providing humanitarian support in the Palestinian territories, where their annual aid volume amounts to approximately $1 billion. New registration requirements, along with other measures, limit the population's access to humanitarian services.
OCHA called on the Israeli authorities to facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian aid, to end policies that hinder humanitarian operations, and to ensure that humanitarian organizations can operate in accordance with humanitarian principles.
The Office stated that civilians must be protected at all times, and that lethal force during police operations should only be used as a last resort. Those responsible for unlawful attacks must be held accountable, OCHA emphasized.
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