Lebanon: a conflict particularly destructive to health care
More health workers and patients have been killed proportionally in Lebanon than in Ukraine and Gaza
22 November 2024, Beirut, Lebanon – Since 7 October 2023, 47% of attacks on health care – 65 out of 137 – have proven fatal to at least one health worker or patient in Lebanon, as of 21 November 2024.
This is a higher percentage than in any active conflict today across the globe – with nearly half of all attacks on health causing the death of a health worker.
In comparison, the global average is 13.3%, based on the SSA’s figures from 13 countries or territories that reported attacks in the same period, 7 October 2023 – 18 November 2024 among them Ukraine, Sudan and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). In the case of oPt, 9.6% of the total number of incidents has resulted in the death of at least one medical professional or patient.
According to SSA, 226 health workers and patients were killed in Lebanon and 199 injured between 7 October 2023 and 18 November 2024.
In the same period, the SSA registered a combined total of 1401 attacks on health in oPt, Lebanon and Israel – 1196 in oPt, 137 in Lebanon and 68 in Israel.
Civilian health care has special protection
“These figures reveal yet again an extremely worrying pattern. It’s unequivocal – depriving civilians of access to lifesaving care and targeting health providers is