Statement by WHO Director-General regarding recent incidents in Lebanon

No images? Click here Saturday, 14 March 2026   Dear members of the media Please find a statement by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus regarding recent incidents in Lebanon that resulted in casualties among health workers: https://x.com/drtedros/status/2032853185996743140?s=48&t=j67CVz-NvgINaR1zyzD87A The killings in the last 24 hours of 14 health workers in southern Lebanon mark a tragic development in the escalating Middle East crisis. The World  Health Organization has confirmed that 12 doctors, paramedics and nurses were killed in a strike late last night (13 March) on the Bourj Qalaouiyeh primary healthcare center. Just hours earlier, two paramedics lost their lives in attacks on a health facility in Al Sowana. These incidents highlight the ongoing assault on Lebanon’s healthcare system, which is crucial for the populations it serves. Since March 2, WHO has verified 27 attacks on healthcare in Lebanon, resulting in 30 deaths and 35 injuries, including the horrifying events of Friday. WHO condemns this tragic loss of life and emphasizes that health workers must always be protected. According to international humanitarian law, medical personnel and facilities should never be attacked or militarized. The intensification of conflict in Lebanon and the broader Middle East increases the likelihood of such tragedies. Urgent action is required to de-escalate the crisis and protect the health of people throughout the region.     Media contact: mediainquiries@who.int You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. If you have been forwarded this update you can click here to subscribe. Journalists may send feedback to WHO Media Team         Share    Tweet    Share    Forward  World Health Organization, Avenue Appia 20, 1202 Geneva 27, Switzerland  Unsubscribe