The Lebanese government has been urged to take immediate and concrete measures to secure justice, truth, and reparations for thousands of civilians affected by the armed conflict with Israel. A coalition of five human rights organizations—Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Legal Agenda, the Union of Journalists in Lebanon, and Reporters Without Borders—addressed a letter to Lebanon’s justice minister and deputy prime minister calling for urgent action to protect victims’ rights and hold perpetrators accountable.
Since the ceasefire agreement following the conflict, Israel has continued attacks and destruction along the southern border, killing over 380 people, including at least 127 civilians, and preventing tens of thousands from returning to their homes. The ongoing military presence and large-scale damage to infrastructure have left many communities displaced, struggling to rebuild, and deprived of safety and stability.
The rights groups highlighted that the Lebanese government has neglected legal avenues it could pursue, such as domestic investigations and accepting the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate international crimes committed on its territory. They urged Lebanon to file a declaration with the ICC under Article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, ratify the treaty, and explore all legal mechanisms to investigate and prosecute war crimes.
The organizations also called on Lebanon to establish independent, impartial domestic judicial investigations into war crimes, provide judicial investigators with adequate authority and resources, and pass legislation criminalizing war crimes and other international law violations. Additionally, they recommended creating a registrar to record civilian casualties and damages and inviting the UN special rapporteur on truth, justice, reparations, and non-recurrence to recommend further measures for Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon to uphold victims’ rights.
The human rights groups emphasized that Lebanon has the opportunity to dismantle entrenched impunity and lay a foundation for victims and affected communities to reclaim their rights, rebuild their lives, and achieve reparations. They also urged other countries, particularly the United States, to suspend arms transfers and military assistance to Israel due to the high risk of these weapons being used in serious violations of international law, while encouraging international accountability through universal or extraterritorial jurisdiction.
The ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which came into effect in November 2024, required Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon within 60 days. However, Israel has maintained a military presence in strategic areas and linked troop reductions to Hezbollah disarmament. The conflict has caused devastating effects on civilians, including attacks on journalists, health facilities, ambulances, and the use of white phosphorus, indiscriminate explosions, and continued destruction of border villages even after the ceasefire, alongside Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on Israeli civilian areas.
