Over 100 medics and emergency workers killed in Lebanon conflict, UN rights office says

GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. human rights office said on Friday that over 100 medics and emergency workers had been killed in Lebanon since a conflict between Israel and Hezbollah began a year ago.

The conflict erupted when the Iran-backed group opened fire in support of Palestinian militant group Hamas at the start of the Gaza war. It has intensified dramatically in recent weeks, with Israel bombing parts of Beirut.

"In all, over 100 medical and emergency workers have been killed across Lebanon since October last year," spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a U.N. briefing, citing figures she said were compiled by the United Nations humanitarian office.

"We've had several reports also of air strikes targeting other medical centres and of paramedics as well as firefighters being killed," she said.

World Health Organization spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said that since Sept. 17, there had been 18 attacks on health facilities in Lebanon, killing 72 health workers.

Israel says it targets military capabilities in Lebanon and Gaza and takes steps to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians. It accuses Hezbollah, like Hamas, of hiding among civilians, which they deny.

(Reporting by Emma Farge, Editing by Friederike Heine)