Since the Oct. 1 ground invasion into southern Lebanon, over 130 Lebanese first responders have been killed as Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have struck near ambulances, fire trucks, clinics, and hospitals. These attacks have been confirmed in an Oct. 10 statement by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (OCHA). According to the Washington Post at least 178 emergency workers have been killed and 279 have been injured in Lebanon. Over 75% of these casualties have occurred since the beginning of the ground invasion. Civil defense workers say that this constant threat of attack has hampered rescue efforts and has forced some rescue teams to abandon casualties in the rubble.
Rescue workers often report the presence of IDF surveillance drones hovering over the area just before an airstrike so there should be no confusion that aid workers are noncombatants. These rescue workers suggest the use of a “double tap,” where the IDF launches an airstrike and then waits until the arrival of rescue workers when the IDF strikes again. Hussein Jaber, a member of Lebanon’s civil defense, says that he personally witnessed at least 3 cases of this “double tap.” Jaber leads a 30-man crew and reports that three of his crew members have been killed and 13 have been wounded, including himself. Some of his rescue vehicles have been smashed beyond repair.
