Amel Association International mourns staff member and volunteer Hussein Jaber

With profound sorrow and grief, Amel Association International mourns one of its staff members and volunteers, Hussein Mohammad Saleh Jaber, who was killed today as a result of the Israeli attack on the city of Nabatieh while carrying out his humanitarian duty within civil defense teams, alongside his colleague Ahmad Mohammad Noura. Both were killed while responding to a rescue mission for a person injured in an Israeli airstrike targeting Nabatieh.

Hussein Jaber embodied dedication, compassion, and commitment to serving humanity and defending human dignity, remaining faithful to his humanitarian mission until his final moments. Amel Association International extends its deepest condolences to the families, colleagues, and friends of the two victims, praying that they rest in peace and that their loved ones find strength and solace.

While bowing in respect before the sacrifice of the two martyrs, the Association stresses that targeting paramedics and humanitarian and medical personnel constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law, which affords special protection to medical and humanitarian workers, their facilities, and means of transportation while carrying out their duties.

The Association reiterates that humanitarian and medical personnel must be respected and protected at all times during the performance of their work. This protection extends to hospitals, medical units, and ambulances used exclusively for medical purposes, as well as to the distinctive emblems recognized under international humanitarian law. All feasible measures must be taken to ensure their safety.

Amel Association International further emphasizes that attacks against humanitarian and medical workers, their facilities, and transport vehicles constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack. Such acts may amount to war crimes and therefore require prompt, independent, and impartial investigations, as well as accountability for those responsible.

In light of these developments, the organization calls for full respect for and enforcement of international humanitarian law at all times, including the immediate cessation of all attacks against humanitarian and medical personnel, their facilities, and means of transportation; respect for protected emblems and safeguards attached to medical missions; and the adoption of all necessary measures to ensure the safety of first responders and guarantee safe, rapid, and unhindered humanitarian access.

The Association also renews its call on the Lebanese government to raise these violations at the international level, including before relevant United Nations bodies and mechanisms, and to proceed without delay toward accepting the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court pursuant to Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute through the submission of a formal declaration accepting the Court’s jurisdiction for the purposes of investigation and prosecution, while committing to full cooperation with the Court.

Furthermore, the Association urges the Lebanese government to instruct the Permanent Mission of the Lebanese Republic to the United Nations in Geneva to undertake urgent diplomatic action and mobilize international support for a special session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in order to place the international community before its legal and moral responsibilities regarding the situation in Lebanon. It also calls for the adoption of a resolution establishing an independent international commission of inquiry on Lebanon mandated to investigate all alleged human rights violations, violations of international humanitarian law, and crimes under international law, with a view to documenting facts, identifying responsibilities, and combating impunity.

Recent figures point to an alarming and systematic pattern of attacks. According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, between 2 March and 7 April 2026, at least 20 attacks targeted medical and healthcare facilities, while 93 attacks targeted emergency medical services, damaging no fewer than 75 medical vehicles. These figures demonstrate the direct and dangerous impact of such attacks on the ability of healthcare providers and first responders to operate safely and effectively.