Doctors treating victims of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have issued a stark warning: the tactics they are seeing mirror what happened in Gaza. Medical staff say hospitals, ambulances and first responders are once again coming under attack — and they are urging world leaders to act before more lives are lost.

A burns victim receives treatment at Sidon government hospital© N/A

British surgeon Tom Potokar says the pattern is chillingly familiar. He previously worked inside European Hospital when it was bombed and is now treating patients in Lebanon.

“The violation of international humanitarian laws has become normalised,” he said. “Once again we’re seeing attacks on the medical infrastructure, just like we saw in Gaza, but this time in Lebanon.”

Potokar has travelled to Sidon to work at the government hospital there. The hospital houses the country’s key specialist burns unit, which he helped establish through his charity Interburns more than a year ago.

Inside the ward, the impact of the airstrikes is brutally clear. One patient arrived after his home in Nabatieh was bombed in an Israeli airstrike just over a week earlier. He suffered burns to 65% of his body. Doctors say it will take months for him to recover.

Two other severely burned victims were brought to the hospital after the same strike destroyed homes in southern Lebanon. Their bodies are now covered in bandages as medics battle to keep them alive.

Among the doctors helping them is Anna Joseph, who has taken time off from her NHS role to treat patients. She says the destruction of healthcare systems is having devastating consequences.

“The systematic destruction of healthcare facilities and staff from here and in Gaza has created a huge need,” she said. “People are suffering and dying and the specialists who could help them are being targeted, arrested, denied entry or even killed.”

Another voice in the hospital comes from a doctor forced to flee Gaza. Mohammad Ziara said the scenes in Lebanon echo what he experienced while working at Al Shifa Hospital.

“It is obvious what’s happening in Lebanon,” he said. “There is an attempt to degrade the medical facilities in order to push people to leave just like they have done in Gaza.”

He warned that unless international law is enforced on all sides, the violence will continue.

The Israeli military has rejected accusations of targeting civilians deliberately. It says Hezbollah fighters are hiding among civilian structures and using ambulances to transport military equipment, although it has not provided evidence.

Officials at the Lebanese Ministry of Health strongly deny the claims. They say such accusations are attempts by Israel to “justify war crimes.” Another British-Palestinian doctor has also spoken out. Ghassan Abu Sittah, who runs a clinic in Beirut, says the impact on children is especially severe.

He says Israel’s evacuation orders for the southern suburbs of Beirut forced several hospitals to shut. “When Israel ordered the evacuation of the southern suburbs we lost four hospitals,” he said.

One of those hospitals had a paediatric intensive care unit. Without access to those facilities, doctors say the health system has shrunk dramatically.

Ambulances are now hesitant to travel to outlying hospitals because of the dangers. Abu Sittah said three children died while waiting to be transferred for treatment.

He describes the strategy as devastating. “What we are seeing is a scorched earth policy,” he said.

According to him, such tactics can make an area uninhabitable by destroying its healthcare system. In densely populated cities, hospitals act as social anchors for entire communities.

As the conflict intensifies, the humanitarian toll continues to rise.

The Israel Defense Forces says it has killed hundreds of Hezbollah fighters and destroyed military infrastructure. In a statement on Thursday, it said more than 30 militants were eliminated in close-quarters combat and airstrikes.

But the militant group Hezbollah says it remains capable of striking back. It claimed its fighters fired a record 80 rockets into northern Israel in a single day.

Residents across southern Lebanon now live under the constant hum of Israeli jets. The noise is often followed by the sound of outgoing Hezbollah rockets.

Civilians are caught in the middle. In the Sidon hospital burns unit, one father is grieving an unimaginable loss. Mohammad Kobeissi lost his teenage son when their apartment in central Beirut was hit during a night-time airstrike.

“I have no feelings right now,” he said quietly. “Our family used to be four — now it’s three.”

His son was just 15 years old.

The toll across the country is climbing fast. The Lebanese health ministry says more than 3,000 people have been injured and more than 1,000 killed, although it does not separate civilians from combatants.

The violence has also triggered a mass displacement crisis. More than a million people have fled their homes.

Most have escaped communities near the Israeli border in the south. Others have fled the southern suburbs of Beirut, including the densely populated district of Dahieh.

Israel says it is creating a security “buffer zone” along the border. Military operations have included blowing up bridges, bombing petrol stations and striking power plants supplying electricity to entire cities.

Residents south of the Litani River have been warned to leave large areas of territory.

Several Israeli officials have also indicated that ground troops could occupy the region. The zone would cover roughly 10% of Lebanon’s territory.

As fighting intensifies, doctors on the ground say the humanitarian cost is already overwhelming.

They warn that unless the violence stops, the health system — and the civilians relying on it — could collapse entirely.

Lebanon doctors say Israel is repeating Gaza's 'scorched earth policy'

10 minutes ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

She's a British Palestinian doctor with trenchant views but I won't see Tommy Robinson supporting her free speech any time soon. It's illegal in the UK to suppoty publically Hamas , Hezbollha or any proscribed organisation without exception.

I’m not sure why you brought Tommy Robinson into this discussion. Can you please explain?

16 minutes ago, JimCM said:

I notice you don't say Judaism and Islam.

Anyway, you're wrong, there is no free speech in US when it comes to Israel.

@JimCM People consistently protest Israel in the USA. It's important to critically evaluate the information you consume and not get swayed by propaganda.

4 minutes ago, Effective altruism said:

I’m not sure why you brought Tommy Robinson into this discussion. Can you please explain?

He's laways whining about getting his free speech curtailed in the UK but not a peep when it's not his 'side'. HTH

On 3/26/2026 at 10:45 AM, ChipButty said:

They are all Hezbollah,

Agree, whether there paramedics, doctors, nurses, clergy or your mama, they are still Hezbollah

32 minutes ago, Screaming said:

Agree, whether there paramedics, doctors, nurses, clergy or your mama, they are still Hezbollah

And you're still a MAGA Commie.

1 hour ago, Effective altruism said:

The statement comes from a man who uses an Islamist avatar and frequently rants about Israel.

Where's my money? You owe me £50.

10 hours ago, JimCM said:

I'll check it out, that Murray is a clueless bigot.

A big, certainly, not clueless though. Which makes it all the more worse. A clueess bigot doesn't know he's bigoted and often responds to being corrected. Murray though is a deliberate bigot. He's the product of the finest education money can buy (Eton, Oxford).

He is an insidious character. Murray founded the Centre for Social Cohesion. The CSC had tasked itself with two principal goals: social cohesion between communities and taking down extremism, with groups like the far-right British National Party and the Islamist group al Muhajiroon being in its crosshairs. Which sounds fine, very laudable, who would disagree with that.

But, in 2006, as chair of the CSC, he ranted on to a Dutch audience that "conditions for Muslims in Europe must be made harder across the board", he called Islam an "infection", he demanded mosques be demolished. That lead the Conservative Party to cut all links with him. Sheepishly, he suggested at the time "I made those comments in a very, very angry time....we all say things that we get wrong".

His co-founder of the CSC, James Brandon, expressed frustration with Murray's continued conflation of a religion with extremis.

My time there was a constant struggle to "de-radicalise" Murray and to ensure that the centre's output targeted only Islamists – and not Muslims as a whole. This October, however, I had finally had enough of this constant battle and resigned

Murray knows exactly what he's doing. He's the journalistic equivalent of a social media influencer, looking for likes, and knows what buttons to push, by exploiting people's innate bigotry.

Bigotry is not a learned behaviour. We are all born bigots (https://theconversation.com/think-youre-all-for-gender-equality-your-unconscious-may-have-other-ideas-69520). The learned behaviour comes throough our interaction with others. A clueless bigot hasn't had that interaction; he's going by what he read in the redtops. Murray remains the bigot, like his opposite numbers in the Islamic and Jewish worlds, and buddhist world.

6 hours ago, JimCM said:

What do you mean, "supporter if Islamist terrorism"?

I am not, what did I write that makes you say that?

clearly you are pal,, look at your islamic green totem and your defense of the indefensable ... Oh and Douglas Murray is a an awesome debater and analyst of politics and history , he is invariable correct and precise, accurate and he is certainly not a bigot... To be a bigot you need to have a fixed view with little intelligence and ability to debate your position ,, Murray wins because he is correct ...

Israel has issued sweeping evacuation orders for dozens of villages and towns across southern Lebanon, demanding residents move north of the Litani River and sometimes as far as the Zahrani River. These orders cover roughly 15% of the country.

The Danube by Hanukkha?

On 3/26/2026 at 3:25 PM, JimCM said:

That list doesn’t prove anything about Islam - it just proves extremists exist and you are a bigot.

Astonishing that anyone who’s IQ score is a minimum of double digits (which I assume yours is) could look at the (truncated) list and conclude that there is not a worldwide problem with Islamic terrorism. It would indicate either an inability to process factual information, total delusion, or cognitive bias.

Not sure when and how your indoctrination of hatred for western civilisation, and your love for Islam happened, but it seems to have become an unreasonable obsession with you.

There is an excellent program on BBC iPlayer “A song for Jenny” It is a dramatisation of the grief and anger of a mother, Julie Nicholson, after the death of her daughter, Jenny, at Edgware Road tube station in the 7/7 London bombings.

It even gets a glowing review in the left wing publication, The Guardian. It requires a depth of emotional intelligence and human empathy to appreciate; not sure if it would be your cup of chai ?

Isreal could have eradicated "Palestine" any time they wanted in the last twenty-forty years and chose not to.

"Palestine" has been trying to eradicate Israel continuously for the last twenty-forty years and has not been able to.

Does anyone dispute these two statements?

34 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Astonishing that anyone who’s IQ score is a minimum of double digits (which I assume yours is) could look at the (truncated) list and conclude that there is not a worldwide problem with Islamic terrorism. It would indicate either an inability to process factual information, total delusion, or cognitive bias.

Not sure when and how your indoctrination of hatred for western civilisation, and your love for Islam happened, but it seems to have become an unreasonable obsession with you.

There is an excellent program on BBC iPlayer “A song for Jenny” It is a dramatisation of the grief and anger of a mother, Julie Nicholson, after the death of her daughter, Jenny, at Edgware Road tube station in the 7/7 London bombings.

It even gets a glowing review in the left wing publication, The Guardian. It requires a depth of emotional intelligence and human empathy to appreciate; not sure if it would be your cup of chai ?

There’s plenty of grieving going on.

But it would require some humanity for you to accept the grieving amongst the victims of Israeli atrocities.

On 3/25/2026 at 7:19 PM, JimCM said:

Can anyone else see a repeating pattern here of war crimes and total disregard to international law

"International law" bwaaahahhaahhaaaahahaaahahahaaaa! Seriously, that's a good one 🤣🤣🤣! Terrorists and their supporters love to try to hide behind it, but (too bad for them) there is no such thing! Or -- equivalently in this context -- no such thing that the USA gives a rat's a$s about, fortunately.

The only "war crimes" are the ones your favorite Islamo-authoritarian interlopers in Tehran bring about via their filthy band of human shield-loving terrorist proxies. The IDF and the USA will long be remembered as the glorious heroes they are, for obliterating that nest of cockroaches.

24 minutes ago, tai4de2 said:

"International law" bwaaahahhaahhaaaahahaaahahahaaaa! Seriously, that's a good one 🤣🤣🤣! Terrorists and their supporters love to try to hide behind it, but (too bad for them) there is no such thing! Or -- equivalently in this context -- no such thing that the USA gives a rat's a$s about, fortunately.

The only "war crimes" are the ones your favorite Islamo-authoritarian interlopers in Tehran bring about via their filthy band of human shield-loving terrorist proxies. The IDF and the USA will long be remembered as the glorious heroes they are, for obliterating that nest of cockroaches.

International law exists.

Netanyahu is hiding from it.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There’s plenty of grieving going on.

But it would require some humanity for you to accept the grieving amongst the victims of Israeli atrocities.

Lovely to see you still responding on behalf of your buddy Jim; even before he has had an opportunity to respond himself this time.

It is a privilege, and somewhat touching, to be able to witness the blossoming of this bromance ✌️

20 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Lovely to see you still responding on behalf of your buddy Jim; even before he has had an opportunity to respond himself this time.

It is a privilege, and somewhat touching, to be able to witness the blossoming of this bromance ✌️

Notice how none of these guys gave a whit when Iran was murdering tens of thousands of innocent protestors, but when Jews kill a few Muslim terrorists transporting munitions using ambulances, it's the end of humanity.

39 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Lovely to see you still responding on behalf of your buddy Jim; even before he has had an opportunity to respond himself this time.

It is a privilege, and somewhat touching, to be able to witness the blossoming of this bromance ✌️

Once again, what part of ‘posts on an open forum being available for all members to respond to’ do you not understand?

If you want a private discussion, use the PM function.

‘Blossoming of this Bromance’, FOMO by any chance?

17 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Notice how none of these guys gave a whit when Iran was murdering tens of thousands of innocent protestors, but when Jews kill a few Muslim terrorists transporting munitions using ambulances, it's the end of humanity.

An unsubstantiated allegation from the forum’s font of unsubstantiated allegations.

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Once again, what part of ‘posts on an open forum being available for all members to respond to’ do you not understand?

I understand it fully, and am very happy for you to respond to me on behalf of Jim. I find if both entertaining and very touching that you continually put a comforting arm around his shoulder. ✌️ 

11 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

An unsubstantiated allegation from the forum’s font of unsubstantiated allegations.

Plenty of evidence for anyone paying attention, but you know that.

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There’s plenty of grieving going on.

But it would require some humanity for you to accept the grieving amongst the victims of Israeli atrocities.

Archetypal response, straight from the left-wing book of deflection techniques; if Islamic terrorism is ever mentioned, don’t engage, ignore it completely, and deflect, obfuscate and always use whataboutery; when any Islamic terrorism is mentioned, it is a dictum you follow with the kind of fanaticism not often found west of Tabriz.

Not being a UK citizen, you probably don’t appreciate the scale of the devastation of the 7/7 London bombings; when 4 nice young muslim lads from the religion of peace blew themselves up, killing  52 innocent UK citizens, and injuring over 700; something in my comment that you unsurprisingly have totally ignored.

9 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Archetypal response, straight from the left-wing book of deflection techniques; if Islamic terrorism is ever mentioned, don’t engage, ignore it completely, and deflect, obfuscate and always use whataboutery; when any Islamic terrorism is mentioned, it is a dictum you follow with the kind of fanaticism not often found west of Tabriz.

Not being a UK citizen, you probably don’t appreciate the scale of the devastation of the 7/7 London bombings; when 4 nice young muslim lads from the religion of peace blew themselves up, killing  52 innocent UK citizens, and injuring over 700; something in my comment that you unsurprisingly have totally ignored.

That was because Trump

22 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Douglas Murray is a hugely intelligent writer and orator; that you dismiss him as a clueless bigot, serves only to highlight your very limited ability to understand critical thinking and intellectual discourse.

Your praise of him only solidifies the fact that he is indeed a clueless bigot

2 minutes ago, Danny Australia said:

Your praise of him only solidify the fact that he is indeed a clueless bigot

solidifies

10 minutes ago, Danny Australia said:

Your praise of him only solidify the fact that he is indeed a clueless bigot

It is not a fact that Douglas Murray is a clueless bigot; it might be your opinion that he is, and it is my opinion that he is not.

However, your comment clearly demonstrates the sense of entitlement of many on the left; stating an opinion as fact.

2 hours ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Archetypal response, straight from the left-wing book of deflection techniques; if Islamic terrorism is ever mentioned, don’t engage, ignore it completely, and deflect, obfuscate and always use whataboutery; when any Islamic terrorism is mentioned, it is a dictum you follow with the kind of fanaticism not often found west of Tabriz.

Not being a UK citizen, you probably don’t appreciate the scale of the devastation of the 7/7 London bombings; when 4 nice young muslim lads from the religion of peace blew themselves up, killing  52 innocent UK citizens, and injuring over 700; something in my comment that you unsurprisingly have totally ignored.

The subject of this thread is clearly stated at the top of the thread.

Your attempts to deflect are noted.

On 3/26/2026 at 10:15 AM, Eloquent pilgrim said:

All loss of life in this appalling middle-east war is tragic, and completely unacceptable; it’s a shame however, that you neglected to mention that this only happened because Hezbollah resumed firing rockets and drones indiscriminately at the civilian population of Israel on 2nd March 2026, breaking a ceasefire that had been in place since November 2024 ✌️ 

Nope. Rather than the IDF and Mossad goin into Southern Lebanon, finding and eliminating Hezbollah militants. Just bomb everybody?!? WTF! Yes, that's a war crime.

Medics were targets in Gaza, too, and ambulances. Wouldn't want anyone to treat the people Israel bombed. Pitiful.

And in case Israel has forgotten, Lebanon is a country, not yours to destroy. That's rightly called ethnic cleansing. Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, West Bank. Want it all and blame people for fighting back.

In all fairness, I should point out that Hezbollah militants are up to 100k fighters, presumed sheltered partly in Lebanon and Iran. From my reading, Hezbollah are fighting a guerrilla war.

However, the Israeli responce is disproportionate and the wholesale bombing of civilian populations unacceptable to any vision of humanity.

For more of my views, find me at Off the beaten track.

3 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

In all fairness, I should point out that Hezbollah militants are up to 100k fighters

This needs an edit

In all fairness, I should point out that Hezbollah terrorists are up to 100k terrorists ……… there ya go

And apparently, most of the Hezbollah terrorists claim that they could hold back an Israeli advance single handedly.

No major lefty woke news channel like BBC , aljazeera , CNBC etc has mentioned 40 dead paramedics so clearly a false allegation from the usual islamist morons .....