ALT Victims and survivors of sexual violence in armed conflict often face additional barriers to meeting their needs, largely driven by fear of stigma. This makes prevention and response all the more urgent: sexual violence should never occur, and parties to armed conflict have a clear duty to prevent it and to ensure survivors can safely access the medical care and support they need.

ALT We are deeply distressed by the killing of Lebanese Red Cross paramedic Hassan Badawi, who succumbed to injuries sustained from a strike while carrying out an emergency rescue mission in the Bint Jbeil district in southern Lebanon. We mourn this tragic loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and his colleagues. Our thoughts are also with another Lebanese Red Cross colleague who was injured in the same incident. Humanitarian and medical personnel like Badawi must be respected and protected while carrying out their duties. This obligation goes hand in hand with the respect of the protective emblem. We remind all parties to the conflict to ensure that medical personnel, hospitals and other medical units, as well as ambulances exclusively assigned to medical duties are respected and protected in all circumstances. All feasible measures must be taken to ensure their safety.