Two Belgian journalists have been injured in central Beirut, Lebanon, while reporting on the battle between Hezbollah and Israel.
Details on the incident are scarce, but the Belgian Foreign Affairs Ministry verified a previous report from Le Soir about the incident. Employers VTM NEWS and HLN also confirmed they had spoken to them on Thursday.
War correspondents Robin Ramaekers (49) and his cameraman Stijn De Smet (37) were injured in Beirut last night after they were attacked while shooting a report.
De Smet was shot in the leg and Ramaekers sustained some fractures in his face. Both have since been taken to safety and are being cared for at the scene, HLN reports.
The Israeli army attacked a Hezbollah aid workers' outpost in central Beirut last night leaving six people dead and 11 injured. Robin and Stijn wanted to run a report on the attack with a fixer, a local intermediary who assists journalists on the ground, but were attacked. It is unclear who the perpetrators were.
Stijn was shot in the leg and Robin sustained several fractures in the face, with both being cared for in separate hospitals in Beirut. VTM Nieuws chief editors have been in contact with them, and confirm they are doing well given the circumstances.
Belgium sends aid
The news comes just hours after Belgium deciding to add to the European effort and send medical equipment worth a total of €150,000 to Lebanon.
This includes gloves and needles, compresses, bandages and thermometers. These items should help to cover the highest needs of public hospitals, which are facing a large influx of patients.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday evening that 46 people were killed and 85 others injured by Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours in various regions of the country.
