United Nations, March 31 : Amid Middle East hostilities, UN humanitarians pointed to a sharp rise in attacks on healthcare in Lebanon and growing obstacles for humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said attacks on healthcare facilities, ambulances and medical personnel in Lebanon have risen at an alarming rate.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported seven incidents over the weekend alone, which killed at least nine health workers while they were on duty.

In southern Lebanon, OCHA said that strikes hit ambulances, including vehicles transporting casualties from an earlier attack in the town of Kfar Sir in Nabatieh governorate.

Since the escalation began, OCHA said 87 attacks on healthcare have been recorded, killing 52 health workers and injuring 126 others.

In a joint statement issued over the weekend, UN's deputy special coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza and WHO Representative in Lebanon Abdinasir Abubakar called for the protection of health workers and first responders, saying that medical personnel and facilities must never be targeted.

The office said Lebanese authorities reported that at least 96 people were killed over the weekend, bringing the total number of people killed since the escalation began to 1,238, with more than 3,500 injured.

OCHA said that despite deteriorating security conditions, the office and its partners continue to work closely with the government to reach people in need. WHO and health partners have provided more than 33,500 medical consultations to displaced people and delivered essential medicines to over 22,500 people.

In the occupied Palestinian territories, OCHA said lethal attacks affecting civilians continue in both Gaza and the West Bank, as restrictions on humanitarian operations continue to mount.

Over the weekend, airstrikes and shelling reportedly hit residential areas in Gaza. In the West Bank, OCHA recorded reports of fatal shootings by Israeli forces and attacks linked to Israeli settlers.

International non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said Monday they intend to file a petition of appeal with Israeli High Court of Justice challenging a new Israeli NGO registration system, which they say further restricts their ability to operate in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

OCHA said that international NGOs play a critical role in the humanitarian response, collectively delivering around $1 billion in assistance each year in the territories. The new registration requirements are among several measures undermining people's access to humanitarian services.

The office called on Israeli authorities to facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief, to reverse policies that obstruct humanitarian operations, and to ensure that humanitarian organisations can operate in line with humanitarian principles, Xinhua news agency reported.

OCHA said that civilians must always be protected and that in the context of law enforcement, lethal force must be used only as a last resort. Perpetrators of unlawful attacks must be held to account.

/IANS