Okeil: Immediate Intervention is Required to Prevent Southern Lebanon from Meeting the Fate of Gaza Strip

Mukhtar: Impunity Has Encouraged Israeli Occupation Forces to Commit More Human Rights Atrocities

Maat for Peace, Development, and Human Rights condemns Israeli occupation forces for launching random military airstrikes on several towns and villages in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa Valley, and Baalbek since September 21, 2024. These attacks have led to horrific violations resulting in significant loss of life, extensive destruction, and severe damage to civilian infrastructure. Approximately 492 civilians have been killed, and 1,645 have been seriously injured, with numbers expected to rise.

Maat has found no clear evidence of military targets in or around the sites targeted by Israeli occupation forces. This raises serious concerns that these attacks constitute direct assaults on civilians and civilian objects, potentially amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In this context, Ayman Okeil, Chairman of Maat, emphasized that Israeli occupation forces are disregarding the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality. The attacks carried out did not differentiate between military targets and civilian objects, rendering them random and categorizing them as war crimes.

Okeil noted that the reckless actions of Israel threaten international peace and security in the region, referring to statements made by Israeli political and military officials expressing intentions to reduce southern suburb of Beirut to rubble, as was done in the Gaza Strip. He warned that an expansion of ground attacks in southern Lebanon would lead to the collapse of vital infrastructure and transform the area into unsafe and uninhabitable zones. Okeil stressed that the only outcome of a potential ground invasion of southern Lebanon would be increased human suffering for civilians. He called on the Security Council to intervene and take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of civilians and prevent further unnecessary suffering. He urged UN Secretary-General to fulfill his legal responsibilities regarding protection of civilians and to put an end to these serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Mohamed Mokhtar, Director of International Humanitarian Law Unit at Maat, explained that ongoing impunity for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by Israeli occupation forces leaders has emboldened them to continue threatening civilian lives. He stressed the international community's failure to address widespread impunity enjoyed by these forces.