Lebanon: humanitarian crisis under Israeli bombardment
UN officials on Sept. 26 warned of a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis in Lebanon as death tolls mount from Israeli air-strikes. Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council: "Hell is breaking loose in Lebanon and we should all be alarmed by the escalation." The warnings came just as Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu arrived in New York for the UN General Assembly. Human Rights Watch one day earlier called for urgent UN action, reporting that some 1,600 Israeli strikes have killed at least 558 people, including 50 children, and injured thousands in the span of two days. The UN's Refugee Agency revealed that some 90,000 Lebanese residents had been displaced in the span of 72 hours.
The United Nations' head of peacekeeping operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, meanwhile painted a grim picture of chaos along the UN-patrolled line of separation between Lebanon and Israel, or Blue Line. But Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz struck a defiant tone, asserting via social media: "There will be no ceasefire in the north."
Israel has faced growing calls to respect international humanitarian law in recent months, amid reports of devastating civilian death tolls in Gaza. It faces ongoing charges of genocide against the people of Palestine before the International Court of Justice.
From Jurist, Sept. 26. Used with permission.
See our last reports on genocide accusations against Israel.
Joint statement calls for ceasefire in Lebanon-Israel conflict
The United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, and several other nations, including France, Germany, and Japan, released a joint statement on Sept. 25, urging an end to the "situation between Lebanon and Israel"—a reference to the cross-border conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.
The coalition of states called for a "diplomatic settlement" to avoid further escalation of the conflict in the region. This diplomatic settlement must be consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 adopted in 2006, calling for a full cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, emphasized the importance of the resolution in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), noting that "[t]here is a legal basis for settling the conflict: UNSC resolution 1701. Implementation is what is needed."
In addition to a legal basis, the joint statement requires a 21-day ceasefire to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2735 effectively. This US-backed resolution was approved on June 10, seeking a permanent ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
The joint statement also highlighted the impact of the ongoing violence on innocent civilians: "It is time to conclude a diplomatic settlement that enables civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes in safety." (Jurist)
Lebanon death toll tops 700
The Israeli military struck Hezbollah's central command in the southern Beirut suburbs on Sept. 27, with Israel reporting that the organization's leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed. The latest bombardment came as the death toll from Israeli strikes inside Lebanon surpassed 700 since the start of the week, according to the country's Health Ministry. (France 24, NYT)
Lebanon death toll rises
The death toll in Lebanon since Oct. 8, 2023 has surpassed 2,000 people, with more than 1,000 of those killed since Israel began to escalate its attacks in late September. In southern Lebanon, the Israeli army has continued a ground invasion it began on Sept. 20, the first such operation in 18 years. (Al Monitor)
'Bunker-buster' used in strike that killed Nasrallah
The Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah Sept. 28 was carried out with a barrage of "bunker-buster" bombs. These munitions are designed to penetrate deep into the ground, generating powerful shockwaves. Due to the potential for mass casualties, the use of such bombs in densely populated areas is outlawed under the Geneva Convention. Bunker-buster bombs have been provided by the US to Israel over the past year. (LiveMint, ToI)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the strike targeted Hezbollah's Central Headquarters, underneath residential buildings in southern Beirut. The IDF claims that the headquarters were a "legitimate military target under international law." (Jurist)