Israeli evacuation orders for Lebanon may count as war crimes: Report

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Oxfam
22 Dec 2024 13:04
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The so-called evacuation orders issued by the Israeli occupation triggered waves of mass displacement, placed civilians at risk, and violated all standards of international humanitarian law.

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People walk past tents set up as temporary shelters by displaced families fleeing the Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, on Beirut's corniche, Lebanon, on Monday, October 14, 2024. (AP)

The forced displacement orders issued for Lebanon by the Israeli military during the 62-day war were "woefully inadequate, unnecessarily dangerous and likely illegal," Oxfam stated in a recent report.

The so-called "evacuation warnings", targeting 25% of Lebanon's territories and forcing at least 1.4 million civilians out of their homes and towns, were either notices for the mass displacement of civilians or encompassed vague directives, the organization affirmed.

The report, titled "Forced Displacement Orders: Debunking the Myth of Humane Attacks," saw ActionAid and Oxfam examine evacuation warnings issued between September 23 and October 31. The findings of the analysis found that the 136 notices could amount to a "forcible transfer" campaign and consequently a violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

The aftermath of the evacuation notices was the displacement of millions of civilians and thousands of families into shelters or the streets, rendering them illegitimate and unsafe, and raising grave concerns for potential war crimes.

'Chaos, destruction, disruption'

The report further found that the notices were impossible to comply with and triggered waves of mass displacement that failed to meet all IHL standards, which demand effective, clear, and specific warnings that give civilians sufficient time to safely leave, as well as a timeline for them to return home.

Out of the 3,334 Israeli airstrikes conducted over the examined timeframe, only 117 (3.5%) are- specific forced displacements notices were issued. On average, the notices were sent only 15-45 minutes before a strike, with the majority issued in the middle of the night between 10 pm and 4 am.

"The chaos, destruction, and disruption caused by these displacements will continue to affect the most vulnerable communities long after the ceasefire," said Oxfam Lebanon Country Director Bachir Ayoub, further explaining that entire families and communities, a significant majority of whom were already vulnerable, were forced out of their homes and thrown into life-threatening conditions.

He further stressed the implications of the war, such as gender-based violence in shelters, the disruption of schooling for thousands of children, and the absence of hygienic standards amid the absence of clean water and healthcare services.

A ceasefire to mitigate all dangers

Therefore, to help the tens of thousands of civilians who remain unable to return home rebuild their lives and to safeguard Lebanon's fragile peace, the agencies are urging efforts to maintain the current ceasefire in Lebanon, secure an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza, and ensure the prompt and safe return of displaced people in southern Lebanon.

"The only way to protect people in Lebanon from further upheaval is to agree to an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Lebanon and in Gaza. Until then, families in Lebanon will continue to live in fear that bombs could start dropping on their homes again at any moment," Sudipta Kumar, ActionAid’s Regional Director for the Arab Region, said.

This comes as the Israeli occupation continues breaching the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, launching airstrikes and raiding southern villages it was unable to infiltrate during the war.

The Israeli occupation army has, for the first time, acknowledged, on Wednesday, that settlers successfully crossed the border into Lebanon and erected tents, claiming the area for settlement.

Israeli media exposed the alarming violation from the Israeli side, as settlers from the “Ori HaTzafon” movement (The Northern Skins), known for advocating settlement in South Lebanon, breached Lebanese territory.

Initially denied by the Israeli army, an internal investigation confirmed that settlers crossed several meters beyond the Blue Line and audaciously set up tents on Lebanese soil. This provocative act, met with delayed acknowledgment, underscores yet another Israeli violation of the current ceasefire.