The exponential rise in the death toll in Lebanon over the past three days amid an escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah is a reminder of the crucial need for all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, Amnesty International said today.
On Monday [23 September] alone, at least 558 people, including 50 children and 94 women, were killed and more than 1,800 injured by Israeli attacks in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, as Israel announced the start of Operation Northern Arrows. Scores more have been killed since. Hezbollah attacks on Israel have also significantly intensified and according to Israeli media reports, at least 15 people were injured, the majority by shrapnel or debris and others while trying to access shelter.
“On Monday, 23 September, Lebanon experienced its deadliest day since the end of the country’s civil war in 1990. We are deeply alarmed by the staggering death toll within a single day, which continues to rise, and the devastating impact on civilians with almost 500,000 displaced from south Lebanon, the Bekaa and other regions that have come under intense bombardment. In northern Israel, due to attacks from Lebanon around 63,000 residents have been displaced since last October. As Israel continues to intensify and expand its bombardment, and Hezbollah continues to launch attacks into Israel, all parties to the conflict must respect international humanitarian law and take all feasible precautions to protect civilian lives,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns.
“In the past, conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah have been characterized by serious violations of international humanitarian law. This raises serious concerns that the current escalation in hostilities will inevitably result again in civilian casualties, injuries and widespread destruction in Lebanon and Israel. We urge all states to halt all arms transfers and other forms of military assistance to Israel and Hezbollah due to the significant risk that these weapons could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes.”
Since October 2023, Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in hostilities, mostly confined to the south of Lebanon and north of Israel. As of 10 September, the total death toll due to Israeli attacks had risen to 589 in Lebanon, as of 19 September, the toll due to Hezbollah attacks rose to 34 in Israel. A further 12 people were killed in the occupied Golan Heights. The spike in the death toll in Lebanon over the past three days alone is therefore exponential.
During the 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, the death toll was 1,100 in Lebanon and 43 in Israel. Amnesty International’s investigations revealed that during the conflict, Israeli forces carried out indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on a large scale, including massive destruction of civilian infrastructure. It also found that Hezbollah carried out direct and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and appeared to fail to take necessary precautions to protect civilians in Lebanon from the effects of Israeli attacks.
Many of the areas struck by Israeli attacks in recent days were crowded residential areas, according to videos reviewed by Amnesty International. Lebanon’s health minister said that medical facilities and personnel also came under fire, killing four medics and injuring at least 16.
Respecting international humanitarian law requires ensuring that only military objectives are targeted, avoiding indiscriminate attacks, disproportionate attack, and direct attacks on civilians and civilian objects and taking all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure. Using explosive weapons with wide area effects in the vicinity of densely populated residential areas is likely to violate the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks and also can lead to disproportionate attacks.
“On 25 September, the Israeli army spokesperson issued a public warning in Arabic, advising people not to return to their homes “until further notice” and stating that “air strikes are ongoing”. Such warnings do not absolve Israel of its responsibilities under international humanitarian law to distinguish between military objectives and civilians, and to take all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians. According to international law, a warning must ensure that sufficient time is granted. Even so, evacuation calls do not render the impacted areas free-fire zones,” said Erika Guevara Rosas.
“Israel’s relentless onslaught on Gaza has already seen more than 42,000 Palestinians killed over the past year. The latest assault on Lebanon has brought a fresh wave of horror to the wider region. The Israeli authorities and Hezbollah and other armed groups need to recognize that the rules of international humanitarian law apply in all circumstances, whatever the reason for the conflict. Nothing can excuse unlawful killing and injury of civilians.”
Background
Israel’s Operation Northern Arrows began on 23 September. During the first day, Israeli forces carried out at least 1,600 strikes in areas across Lebanon. Hezbollah also launched more than 200 rockets towards Israel.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in ongoing cross-border hostilities since the group launched attacks into northern Israel following the start of Israel’s offensive in the occupied Gaza Strip in October 2023. As of 10 September 2024, Israeli attacks on south Lebanon and the Bekaa since 7 October 2023 had killed at least 137 civilians, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health and the United Nations. Hundreds of thousands have been displaced from south Lebanon, the Bekaa, and other areas due to the ongoing hostilities, the majority of them fleeing the latest attacks.
Across the same period, Hezbollah and other armed groups have fired projectiles at northern Israel and killed at least 14 civilians in Israel, according to the Israeli authorities. On 27 July, 12 civilians, all children, were killed in an attack on Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights. Around 63,000 residents of northern Israel have been evacuated since 8 October.