School Principal Lost Their Life in an Attack on an Educational Institution in Lübnan

Esberanza Fakhri Ghandour, the principal of Salman Sha'moun Kindergarten located in the Nabatieh el-Fawqa settlement of Lübnan's Nabatieh region, lost their life in an attack on the educational institution. The "Union of Public Sector Associations", formed by civil and military employee associations representing public sector workers, published an official message of condolence regarding the incident. In its condolence message, the Union expressed its deep sorrow to the family, colleagues, and the entire educational community of the deceased school principal. It was stated that Ghandour was targeted while on duty, fulfilling her professional responsibilities as a civil servant. This incident stands out as a worrying example of the increasing acts of violence targeting educational institutions and civil servants in the region.

In the official statement made, it was emphasized that targeting civilians, especially those working in the education sector, is contrary to international law. The attack was described as an act that seriously violates the fundamental norms of international humanitarian law. Authorities stated that such attacks constitute a direct threat to the right to live, work, and education. It was expressed that leaving educational institutions unprotected is a situation that endangers the security and future of civil society. The Union called on the international community and relevant global institutions to take urgent and concrete steps to stop attacks on civilians and institutions.

The institution representing public workers announced that they share the deep grief of the family who lost a colleague and the educational community. The statement reminded that the protection of civilians and personnel serving in humanitarian and educational fields is a requirement of international law and the conscience of humanity. It was highlighted that the continuous occurrence of such acts of violence will destroy basic human values and deeply shake the overall stability of societies. Authorities argued that educational environments must remain completely independent of armed conflicts and attacks as safe zones. This tragic event has clearly revealed the unique and extremely dangerous working conditions faced by education workers in conflict zones.

In the said statement, the demand for full respect for international humanitarian law and urgent action to protect civilians was reiterated. It was stated that all educational institutions and civil servants should not be left unprotected from attacks, and that ensuring this protection is of vital importance. Furthermore, it was demanded that transparent investigations be conducted so that the perpetrators of such violations targeting innocent people and civilian infrastructure are held accountable in international courts. It was stated that leaving the perpetrators unpunished will further fuel the cycle of violence and the culture of impunity in the region. Institution officials added that international observers and mechanisms should be urgently integrated into the region to ensure the security of civil institutions.

Finally, the condolence message published on behalf of the institution was concluded with religious and humanitarian wishes. In the statement, wishing God's mercy for the deceased Esberanza Ghandour, it was hoped that she would find her place in heaven and that patience would be granted to her family. A sincere expression of wish was used for the protection of the people of Lübnan and the country from all kinds of evil, violence, and instability. This emotional closing showed that the institutions are not limited to merely professional or legal demands, but also deeply share the humanitarian pain and social sorrow caused by the incident. With the hope that the people of the region can live in peace and tranquility, a call for international solidarity was made to prevent similar tragedies from happening again.