Joint Statement by Humanitarian, Development, and Human Rights Organizations in Lebanon: From South to North: Ongoing Violations Must End — Ceasefire Commitments and IHL Obligations Must Be Respected

As of today, six months have passed since the announcement of a ceasefire that was intended to put an end to hostilities between Israel and Lebanon. Yet military actions and occupation of territory continue, with near-daily airstrikes, shelling, and airspace violations continuing to impact communities across Lebanon.¹

The  impact of Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Lebanon has been devastating. Israel continues to violate the ceasefire through relentless airstrikes, ground operations and de facto occupation of Lebanese territory.  According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, as of March 20, 2025, the Israeli invasion of Lebanon killed 4,267 people and injured 17,579 more², while armed groups in Lebanon are reported to have killed 127 people³. This underscores the deeply disproportionate impact of the hostilities. Since the declaration of ceasefire, the Government of Lebanon has reported at least 150 additional casualties due to Israeli airstrikes, notably in the South, Baalbek and Beirut Southern suburbs.

While the cessation of hostilities allowed for the return of approximately 965,000 internally displaced people within two weeks, nearly 93,000 people remain displaced. Many are living in precarious conditions, unable to return to areas that remain unsafe or have been completely destroyed. Large parts of the South and Nabatiyeh Governorates remain inaccessible due to occupation, active hostilities, or unexploded ordnance. Entire villages have been reduced to rubble, contaminated by unexploded ordnance. Civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, and agricultural land, has been damaged or destroyed, rendering large stretches of land uninhabitable. Medical infrastructure, ambulances, aid workers and hospitals were systematically attacked⁴. A de facto “no man’s land” has emerged along Lebanon’s southern border, blocking any meaningful return or reconstruction.

• The border villages suffered the most… destroying our homes, leaving nothing in the village – no buildings, no walls, no mosques, no school.” Zaynab, a mother in her 40s, displaced from a border village in South Lebanon.

Israeli forces continue to occupy at least 5 areas of Lebanese territory, in blatant violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and of international law. Reports⁵ also indicate the use of  indiscriminate violence against civilians in areas unilaterally designated by Israel  as “no-go zones” for civilians.

The continued hostilities are not only endangering lives but also stalling Lebanon’s fragile recovery. The World Bank has estimated that reconstruction will require more than USD 11 billion, funds that are increasingly difficult to mobilize in the face of ongoing insecurity and waning donor support. Meanwhile, Lebanon remains mired in a deep socio-economic crisis that affects millions of people, including vulnerable refugee populations.

The broader regional context also remains highly volatile. Renewed hostilities, and the continued blockade and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid in Gaza, as well as Israeli military operations in Syria, illustrate the fragility of the region.   

The international community must act. Without concrete measures to enforce the agreement, establish accountability mechanisms, and provide sustained support for Lebanon’s recovery and reconstruction, the current ceasefire will remain fragile. Any deterioration in the situation will once again leave civilians bearing the brunt.

We, the undersigned, call upon the parties to the conflict to uphold and fulfill their obligations under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), and to fulfill the agreed terms of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

We, the undersigned, further call on states guarantors of the cessation of hostilities agreement, and the wider international community to:

• Ensure the protection of civilians, including displaced persons and those living in frontline areas, is central to all diplomatic engagements with the parties to the conflict. Advocate against, and condemn any targeting of civilians, including aid workers
• Publicly call for – and exert diplomatic pressure to ensure – full adherence of all parties to the conflict to the ceasefire agreement, including the immediate, unconditional, and definitive cessation of hostilities, full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, and an end to the de facto occupation of Lebanese territory along the Blue Line in accordance with international law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701. 
• Commit to the sustainable and rights-based resolution of this conflict. The international community must uphold its responsibilities under international law and take consistent, principled action in response to violations by any party. Addressing impunity is essential to tackling the root causes of conflict, protecting civilians, and fostering long-term peace and stability. Failure of the international community to respond consistently undermines the credibility of international mechanisms and weakens the global commitment to justice and accountability.  The international community must not stay silent in the face of persistent violations, whether in Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, or Syria.

Support efforts to ensure accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and the ceasefire agreement, including through independent investigations and, where applicable, make use of and activate relevant accountability mechanisms against parties responsible for violations of IHL and IHRL.

• Halt the transfer of arms to conflict parties: Suspend immediately the transfer of all weapons, parts, munitions, and ammunition to parties to the armed conflict when there is a risk they might be used to commit or facilitate violations of IHL and IHRL and other grave violations.
• We urge states with influence to actively support regional stability by engaging in sustained diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions across the region. Ongoing regional volatility underscores the urgent need to prevent further escalation and to foster conditions for lasting peace.
• Ensure that recovery and reconstruction efforts are inclusive, rights-based, and community-driven, respecting the voices and agency of affected communities and ensuring that conditions for returns are safe, voluntary and dignified for all. 

The path to recovery and peace in Lebanon is contingent on accountability, compliance with international law, and sustained international engagement.
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¹ Over 2000 violations of the ceasefire by Israeli forces and no more than a dozen by armed groups in Lebanon have been reported. Source 1 and 2 and OHCR
² https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-war-numbers-hezbollah-military-6f1a651ebba0a88fbdb7ca59a57acd1e
³ https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/lebanon-glance-escalation-hostilities-lebanon-20-march-2025-enar.
⁴ https://11.be/en/stories/new-report-also-lebanon-systematically-attacked-israel-health-care-providers-and-hospitals
⁵ https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-fire-wounds-five-south-lebanon-residents-try-return-lebanese-media-2025-01-26/

List of signatories:

1. American Friends Service Committee
2. Badil |The Alternative Policy Institute
3. CARE International
4. CLDH (Lebanese Center for Human Rights)
5. Danish Refugee Council
6. EuroMed Rights Network
7. Humanity and Inclusion – Handicap International
8. HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement
9. Islamic Relief
10. Norwegian Church Aid
11. Norwegian Refugee Council
12. Oxfam