Lebanon calls for international action against Israel for violating international humanitarian law by destroying a hospital in the south

Beirut – Mansour Shaaban: As the announcement of a date for the eighth round of Lebanon-Israel negotiations, sponsored by the United States, draws near, the Israeli army has opened new chapters in its field objectives in southern Lebanon, committing further massacres and systematic destruction in Nabatieh and its surrounding areas. Its warplanes struck the Gandour Hospital in “Nabatieh Fawqa,” which the Lebanese Ministry of Health declared was “completely destroyed,” calling this “an additional violation of the protection of health facilities under international humanitarian law.” Israeli warplanes also targeted numerous palaces and homes belonging to prominent Lebanese figures, while many citizens were killed and others were injured and transported to hospitals.

President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun strongly condemned the renewed Israeli attacks on the city of Nabatieh and its towns, which resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians and caused severe damage to the Ministry of Finance building there, as well as the destruction of Gandour Hospital. He emphasized that “this targeting constitutes a serious escalation that goes beyond the repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement and the framework agreement, now extending to Lebanese state institutions and service facilities that serve citizens’ affairs and vital interests, in addition to hospitals and health centers.”

He pointed out that “the targeting of the Ministry of Finance building, following the earlier attack on the State Security Center that resulted in casualties, reveals a persistent pattern of aggression that transcends alleged military targets to reach purely civilian administrative departments and health centers, reflecting a clear intent to undermine the continuity of Lebanese institutions and disrupt people’s daily lives.”

President Aoun placed full responsibility for this continuous escalation on the Israeli side, calling on the United States and the international community to take urgent action to halt these violations and hold their perpetrators accountable. He affirmed that Lebanon, despite all these attacks, remains committed to safeguarding its sovereignty, the stability of its south, and the safety of its citizens.

Meanwhile, the National Coordinator for Food Systems Transformation, MP Adnan Azzeddin, handed a petition signed by 86 Lebanese MPs from various blocs and affiliations to several international leaders and officials participating in the first Global Summit on Conscious Food Systems. The petition calls for the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). She also delivered a report documenting the damages and losses inflicted on Lebanon by the Israeli war.

In the same context, Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi delivered a sermon in which he stressed that “Lebanon does not belong to any single faction, and no one has the exclusive right to determine its destiny.” He affirmed that “there must be a single national reference and sovereign decision,” adding that “Lebanon’s protection lies in monopolizing weapons in the hands of the state, because the state cannot protect its citizens or demand respect for its sovereignty if security decisions remain distributed among multiple authorities.”

Al-Rahi emphasized that “negotiations must not remain mere rounds without results.” He said, “Lebanon needs an army that understands its mission is not only to protect borders, but to protect the very meaning of the state itself. Lebanon needs neutrality to shield it from others’ conflicts. Neutrality is the rejection of turning Lebanon into a battleground for axes. It is a path to reclaiming free decision-making. Lebanon does not rise when one faction defeats another, but when all factions triumph for the state. The homeland is not built on a logic of dominance, but through partnership, respect for the law, and prioritizing the public interest over private calculations. Only then does national humility become strength, and salvation becomes possible.”

Al-Rahi expressed hope that “the signing of the general amnesty law will open a door to further reconciliations and help close pages of pain and division.” He said, “Our enemy kills us once, but corruption, negligence, and lack of accountability kill us every day while we keep our eyes open and watch our homeland collapse.”

As for Lebanon’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, speaking at a ceremony honoring him, organized by former Beirut Municipality President Bilal Hamad, he said: “Our discourse has been, is, and will remain a unifying national discourse, transcending sectarian and confessional terminology.” He considered that “the Dar al-Fatwa’s decision is free; no one can snatch it or contain it, and its doors are open to every sincere advisor. By God’s will, Dar al-Fatwa will remain protected, with our full commitment to all powers and duties of issuing fatwas in the Lebanese Republic. Its mission will remain one of mercy, love, coexistence, justice, and equality among Lebanese citizens.”

Meanwhile, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut and its Dependencies, Bishop Elias Auad, said in his Sunday sermon yesterday that “insisting on the national interest by excluding, insulting, or accusing others harms the nation and fragments it.”