UN Expert: “Israeli” Strikes in South Lebanon Are War Crimes Undermining Ceasefire

By Staff, Agencies

A United Nations expert has sharply condemned the near-daily “Israeli” air and drone strikes across southern Lebanon since the November 27, 2024 ceasefire, warning that the attacks undermine peace efforts and may constitute war crimes.

Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, criticized the renewed “Israeli” assaults on Friday, highlighting the deadly November 18 airstrike on the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Sidon and a series of attacks targeting civilians and UN peacekeepers.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed that the strike on Ain al-Hilweh martyred at least 13 people and injured several others. Local channel Al-Manar reported that the attack hit a densely populated neighborhood inside the camp.

Tidball-Binz condemned the bombardment as part of “a disturbing pattern of lethal strikes in populated areas by ‘Israel’, and of total disregard for the ceasefire and Lebanese peace efforts.”

He stressed that repeated attacks on civilians and civilian objects constitute war crimes and violate the UN Charter.

The special rapporteur said the Ain al-Hilweh strike followed multiple other attacks carried out despite the declared ceasefire, forming part of a broader record of unlawful killings and breaches of the ceasefire by the “Israeli” entity.

He also drew attention to recent “Israeli” strikes on clearly identified UNIFIL peacekeepers, noting that intentionally directing attacks against UN personnel is a war crime under international humanitarian law.

“These incidents amount to international crimes and serious violations of Security Council Resolution 1701 and of Lebanon’s sovereignty,” he stated.

Tidball-Binz added that the attacks are taking place while the “Israeli” entity continues its illegal military occupation of five locations and two so-called buffer zones in southern Lebanon, blocking displaced civilians from returning to their homes and unilaterally continuing military operations.

He warned that these actions severely undermine the Lebanese government’s attempts to uphold the ceasefire.

The UN expert called on “Israel” to halt all attacks immediately and comply fully with Resolution 1701, the ceasefire terms, and its obligations under international law.

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, “Israeli” strikes have martyred 331 people and injured 945 across the country since the truce took effect, with casualties caused by ongoing raids, attacks, and violations of the agreement.

The figures cover the period from November 28, 2024, just after the ceasefire began, through November 20, 2025.

Under the November 27, 2024 ceasefire, “Israel” was required to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory. However, it has retained forces at five sites, in direct violation of Resolution 1701 and the terms of the agreement.

Despite the truce, the “Israeli” entity has repeatedly carried out strikes inside Lebanon, prompting Lebanese officials to warn that these violations threaten national stability.