DEPLORABLE as war is, what is absolutely reprehensible is when hospitals are deliberately targeted during hostilities. As World Health Organisation figures released on Thursday show, this atrocious practice is widespread in conflict zones, with all sides — state and non-state — guilty. The UN’s health agency says over the last two years, nearly 960 people have been killed in attacks on hospitals. The victims have included doctors, staff, patients and visitors. What is especially shocking is that, as per the report, over 60pc of the attacks were deliberate. Syria, where a brutal civil war has ground on since 2011, has witnessed the highest number of attacks including by Syrian forces; however, a variety of other actors have also been involved in the attacks in numerous theatres of conflict. The Americans in Afghanistan and the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen have also attacked hospitals, while Israel is known to take aim at medical facilities, especially during its merciless forays into Gaza.

While it is true that all sorts of atrocities occur during wartime, combatants are expected to respect the sanctity of medical facilities, and targeting hospitals is considered a war crime. True, little moral clarity can be expected from militant groups that indulge in terrorism, but states at least are expected to behave in a more responsible fashion; they have no excuse for deliberately targeting health facilities. As WHO officials have rightly said, those who attack hospitals must be held accountable. In fact, as peace talks to end the conflicts in Yemen and Syria continue, the international community must press all sides to respect the sanctity of hospitals and other humanitarian facilities. Through no fault of their own, civilians are caught in the crossfire as hostilities continue in these theatres. They have been deprived of the most basic human needs with governments, rebels and militants all oblivious to the devastation these conflicts have spawned. The least the global community can do is to ensure that people trapped in war zones are not killed while getting medical help.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2016