The Israeli army’s evacuation orders for large parts of southern Lebanon may violate the laws of war, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned on Thursday.
Since Wednesday, the Israeli military has repeatedly urged residents to flee an area comprising about 8% of Lebanon’s territory, stretching 30 kilometres along the border.
HRW expressed concerns over the legality and humanitarian implications of these actions. Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher on Lebanon for HRW, highlighted fears for civilians’ safety.
He questioned how elderly, sick, or disabled individuals could evacuate immediately and how their security would be ensured during the process.
HRW also raised doubts about Israel’s intentions, suggesting they may not prioritise protecting the hundreds of thousands of civilians living in the targeted area.
International humanitarian law prohibits forced civilian displacement during armed conflict, except under strictly limited circumstances such as imperative security needs or military necessity, the organisation reminded.
Tensions escalated in Lebanon on Monday after Hezbollah, aligned with Iran, launched an initial attack on Israel, reportedly to avenge the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In response, the Israeli army has entered several border towns in southern Lebanon and intensified shelling across large parts of the country.
Lebanese authorities reported 77 deaths and 83,000 displaced people since the start of the week, according to a new update released on Thursday.
