April 2026-The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has strongly condemned the killing of a paramedic from the Lebanese Red Cross during an emergency medical mission in southern Lebanon.
The incident took place on the evening of Sunday, 12 April, in Beit Yahoun, located in the Bint Jbeil District, where a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance team was responding to casualties following a previous airstrike. The paramedic, identified as Hassan Badawi, was killed in the attack, while another paramedic sustained injuries.
The IFRC expressed its deepest condolences to Badawi’s family, loved ones, and colleagues, and extended wishes for a full recovery to the injured. Badawi had been volunteering with the Lebanese Red Cross since 2012.
At the time of the incident, the ambulances were clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem, visible from all sides and illuminated, in accordance with international humanitarian law. The mission had also been notified in advance through established coordination mechanisms, including the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, to ensure safe passage.
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Reiterating its strong condemnation, the IFRC stressed that humanitarian workers are not a target and must be respected and protected at all times. The federation noted that this is the second Lebanese Red Cross volunteer to be killed while carrying out humanitarian duties since the escalation of hostilities on 2 March, despite necessary precautions taken to safeguard such missions.
The IFRC renewed its call for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of ambulance personnel, medical staff, and humanitarian volunteers operating in conflict settings.
