UN urges immediate, impartial probes into Israeli strikes in Lebanon
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) announced that at least 127 civilians in Lebanon have been killed in strikes by the Israeli military since a ceasefire was agreed nearly a year ago. The OHCHR called for "immediate and impartial" investigations into these strikes and stressed that the ceasefire must be respected.
Thamin al-Hitan, a spokesperson for the OHCHR, said the 127 fatalities represent only deaths confirmed using the UN’s strict methodology and that the actual number could be higher. He warned that, almost a year after the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, the region continues to see increasing Israeli military attacks that have caused civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure, alongside worrying threats of a wider, more intense assault.
The OHCHR specifically called for investigations into the strike on the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp, targeted the previous week, and into "all other incidents involving possible violations of international humanitarian law by all parties, before and after the ceasefire." Al-Hitan emphasized that Israel and the Israeli military are responsible for their actions and should investigate strikes carried out by them, while Lebanon likewise has a responsibility to probe any violations that may have been committed by its side.
Despite the ceasefire agreed in November 2024 to end the conflict with Lebanon’s Shiite movement Hezbollah — an ally of Palestinian Hamas — Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon. The Israeli military generally targets Hezbollah members or facilities but has also struck people alleged to be Hamas members present in Lebanon. Lebanese authorities frequently accuse Israel of violating the ceasefire by continuing strikes and maintaining control of five strategic positions in southern Lebanon.
According to the OHCHR, Israeli attacks have caused at least 127 civilian deaths in Lebanon since the start of the ceasefire. The strike on Ain al-Hilweh was described by al-Hitan as "one of the deadliest," reportedly killing at least 13 civilians, including 11 children, and wounding at least six others. The OHCHR said all recorded victims of that strike were civilians, raising serious concerns about potential breaches of the principles of international humanitarian law.
The Israeli army stated on Friday that its strike on Ain al-Hilweh on 18 November killed "13 Hamas terrorists." Lebanese authorities reported 13 dead but did not specify their identities. Hamas condemned the attack as "barbaric" and accused the Israeli military of lying in claiming the group was training fighters in the camp.
Al-Hitan also noted that, beyond casualties, Israeli strikes have destroyed and damaged civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, hindering reconstruction efforts and obstructing the return of displaced people to their homes.
