Lebanon’s First Responders Face Loss

Why this is here: Since the start of the conflict on March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have displaced nearly one million people from the south.

In Sidon, Lebanon, Nareej Ramal mourns her husband, Hussein Jaber, a civil defense worker killed by an Israeli drone strike in Nabatieh. Jaber and his colleague, Ahmad Noura, died while attempting to rescue a man wounded in a previous attack on May 12. Their deaths add to a growing toll of over 100 first responders killed in Lebanon since fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began March 2.

The attacks continue despite a ceasefire in April, and Israel has accused Hezbollah of using medical facilities for military purposes, allegations Lebanon denies. Mona Boud Zeid, director of Al Najdeh al-Shaabiyeh Hospital, fears similar attacks to those seen in Gaza, where over 1,700 medical personnel have been killed.

First responders face the additional hardship of temporary burials due to ongoing violence, potentially requiring families to grieve multiple times. Though deeply affected by the loss of colleagues, team leader Abdallah Hallal and others like Ali Al Rida Hammoud continue their work, driven by a sense of duty to protect their country.