Israel Must Stop Killing Civilians Returning To Their Homes In South Lebanon: UN Experts

GENEVA (13 February 2025) – Israel must respect the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, immediately end housing demolitions, ensure the safety of civilians returning to their homes, and fully withdraw its military from South Lebanon, UN experts* said today.

“We are gravely concerned about the continuing toll on civilians in Lebanon. Within 60 days of the ceasefire coming into force, at least 57 civilians have been killed, and 260 properties have been destroyed,” the experts said.

The ceasefire agreement, which came into effect on 27 November 2024, required Israeli troops to fully withdraw from South Lebanon within 60 days. However, Israeli forces have remained in the area continuing to target civilians, demolish housing, and destroy crops and infrastructure, with tanks, bulldozers and heavy weaponry.

When the initial deadline for the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from Lebanon expired on 26 January 2025, Lebanese civilians trying to return to their homes in towns and villages that were still occupied, were met with gunfire from Israeli soldiers, resulting in 24 persons being killed and 120 injured.

Violent confrontations have continued even after a new deadline for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces was set for 18 February 2025, with at least two more civilians killed and 80 injured in just four days.

In addition to the absolute and non-derogable prohibition of unlawful killings as a peremptory norm of international law, the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement prohibit the killing of displaced persons and the destruction of any property they have left behind. They also set out the right of displaced persons to voluntarily return to their homes and lands in safety and dignity.

“We are outraged that the killing of civilians and the systematic destruction of housing, agricultural land and other critical infrastructure in South Lebanon has continued during the ceasefire agreement,” the experts said.

“Israel’s military actions have precipitated a humanitarian crisis, prolonged by attacks that prevent durable solutions to displacement. These violations of international human rights and humanitarian law must end immediately,” they said.

They called on Israel to immediately lift access restrictions imposed on the free movement of Lebanese citizens and allow their return to all villages and towns across South Lebanon.

The experts also expressed their concern about unexploded ordnance, the use of white phosphorus munitions, and the indiscriminate practice of booby-trapping of homes, which have rendered entire residential areas and farmlands unsafe for those who wish to return for lengthy periods of time, even after the end of hostilities.

“We urgently call for an immediate and complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all occupied territories in Lebanon and for an end to all ceasefire violations,” the experts said. “It is imperative that international law is respected, civilians are protected from further harm, and displaced persons are allowed to return to their homes and lands and provided with compensation or reparation for property that cannot be recovered.”

The experts have previously expressed their concerns to Israel about severe violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed during the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The violations included civilian casualties and massive destruction of civilian objects, including homes, water and sanitation infrastructure, agricultural lands, cultural heritage sites and places of religious worship and mass forced displacement of civilians, disruptions of access to healthcare and education, loss of livelihoods, and environmental degradation.

*The experts: Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing; Astrid Puentes Riaño, Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation; Genevieve Savigny, Chair of the Working group on peasants and other rural workers; Marcos A. Orellana, Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes; Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights

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