Human Rights Watch (HRW) has raised concerns over recent Israeli military actions that have caused extensive damage to Lebanon’s infrastructure, effectively hindering the return of thousands of civilians to their homes. HRW highlights significant damage to both private households and essential public services infrastructure caused by Israeli attacks since October 2023. These attacks have impaired basic utilities such as water, electricity, telecommunications, and health facilities, as articulated by HRW’s Lebanon researcher, Ramzi Kaiss. The full statement from HRW underscores the challenges faced by displaced individuals even if their domiciles remain intact.
Moreover, HRW is urging the Lebanese government to collaborate with international donors on a comprehensive infrastructure reconstruction effort. This rebuilding process, according to HRW, should be conducted transparently and free from corruption to restore essential public services. Concurrently, HRW has called for international investigations into the hostilities in Lebanon and northern Israel to ensure accountability. They propose that the United Nation’s Human Rights Council and member states get involved and potentially engage the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors to investigate any possible breaches of international law.
The situation has led to a substantial number of internal displacements. A report from the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirms that as of mid-February 2025, over 115,000 individuals remain internally displaced within Lebanon. Additionally, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), nearly 100,000 assets, including homes, businesses, and public infrastructure, have sustained damage.
Both Israel and Lebanon have indicated a commitment to their ceasefire agreement. However, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) had to intervene as recently as December 2024, reminding Israel to withdraw from Southern Lebanon amid ongoing ceasefire violations. In the political sphere, newly appointed Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is under pressure from HRW and other organizations to prioritize human rights issues in the aftermath of the war. Leaders are expected to address access to healthcare and education, conditions worsened by the recent conflicts. Nevertheless, the call to action for these reforms remains critically important amid the ongoing recovery efforts.
Further insights and detailed findings can be found on the original article published by JURIST – News.