Israeli strikes endanger civilians on Lebanon border
Published: 04:10 PM,Oct 07,2024 | EDITED : 08:10 PM,Oct 07,2024
A plume of smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on the village of Khiam in southern Lebanon near the border. — AFP
BEIRUT: Human Rights Watch on Monday said Israeli strikes near the main Lebanon-Syria border crossing were putting civilians at 'grave risk' as they prevented them from fleeing and hampered humanitarian operations. The Israeli military said that its jets struck Hezbollah positions near the Masnaa border crossing in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley.
Syrian transport ministry official Sleiman Khalil said on Monday that the road was still 'completely cut off to vehicle traffic', but people could still cross on foot.
Human Rights Watch said the strikes were 'impeding civilians trying to flee and disrupting humanitarian operations', adding: 'the situation places civilians at grave risk.'
'An Israeli attack on a legitimate military target may still be unlawful if it can be expected to cause immediate civilian harm disproportionate to the anticipated military gain,' it said in a statement.
The head of the United Nations refugee agency, Filippo Grandi, said on Monday that the flow of people 'has declined, but still hundreds of people are coming through, and they're also coming through other border points'. Red Crescent volunteers are 'helping people transport their goods across the border' while the road remains cut, Grandi added during a visit to Syrian side of the crossing, known as Jdeidet Yabus.
Lebanese authorities said on Friday that more than 370,000 people had crossed from Lebanon into Syria since September 23, most of them Syrian nationals. More than 774,000 Syrian refugees were registered with the United Nations in Lebanon before the latest escalation, although the tiny country said it hosted some two million — the world's highest ratio of refugees per capita.
HRW's Lama Fakih said that 'by making a border crossing inaccessible at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing fighting and many others are in need of aid, the Israeli military threatens considerable civilian harm.' Even if the crossing were used for military purposes, 'Israel would need to take into account the expected civilian harm compared to the anticipated military gain', she added in the statement.
Lebanon's health ministry said on Monday an Israeli strike in south Lebanon overnight killed 10 firefighters. 'An Israeli strike overnight targeted a local firefighting centre in Baraasheet where 10 civil defence members were present,' municipal official Reda Ashour said. The health ministry reported the 'killing of 10 firefighters' who were 'in the building ready to go out on rescue missions', adding efforts to remove the rubble were ongoing. The latest report brings to 115 the number of rescuers killed in a year since the start of cross-border fire. — AFP
Syrian transport ministry official Sleiman Khalil said on Monday that the road was still 'completely cut off to vehicle traffic', but people could still cross on foot.
Human Rights Watch said the strikes were 'impeding civilians trying to flee and disrupting humanitarian operations', adding: 'the situation places civilians at grave risk.'
'An Israeli attack on a legitimate military target may still be unlawful if it can be expected to cause immediate civilian harm disproportionate to the anticipated military gain,' it said in a statement.
The head of the United Nations refugee agency, Filippo Grandi, said on Monday that the flow of people 'has declined, but still hundreds of people are coming through, and they're also coming through other border points'. Red Crescent volunteers are 'helping people transport their goods across the border' while the road remains cut, Grandi added during a visit to Syrian side of the crossing, known as Jdeidet Yabus.
Lebanese authorities said on Friday that more than 370,000 people had crossed from Lebanon into Syria since September 23, most of them Syrian nationals. More than 774,000 Syrian refugees were registered with the United Nations in Lebanon before the latest escalation, although the tiny country said it hosted some two million — the world's highest ratio of refugees per capita.
HRW's Lama Fakih said that 'by making a border crossing inaccessible at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing fighting and many others are in need of aid, the Israeli military threatens considerable civilian harm.' Even if the crossing were used for military purposes, 'Israel would need to take into account the expected civilian harm compared to the anticipated military gain', she added in the statement.
Lebanon's health ministry said on Monday an Israeli strike in south Lebanon overnight killed 10 firefighters. 'An Israeli strike overnight targeted a local firefighting centre in Baraasheet where 10 civil defence members were present,' municipal official Reda Ashour said. The health ministry reported the 'killing of 10 firefighters' who were 'in the building ready to go out on rescue missions', adding efforts to remove the rubble were ongoing. The latest report brings to 115 the number of rescuers killed in a year since the start of cross-border fire. — AFP