Israeli evacuation warnings in Lebanon deceptive, inefficient: Amnesty
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Amnesty International has raised concerns over the intention behind "Israel's" evacuation warnings, slamming them as inadequate and misleading.
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A mobile phone displays an Israeli alert warning residents of southern Lebanon not to return to their homes until further notice in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, October 9, 2024. (AP)
The evacuations issued by the Israeli occupation forces in Lebanon are not only ineffective, but also misleading, Amnesty International found, in light of the ongoing and escalating Israeli aggression against Beirut's Southern Suburb and across Lebanon.
In its most recent report, Amnesty said an evacuation warning can only be considered if residents were given adequate and sufficient time to leave their homes and areas. However, the Israeli occupation military recurrently issues warnings "on short notice, in the middle of the night, and via social media, when many people would be asleep."
Amnesty also gave the example of an instance during which civilians were given less than 30 minutes to evacuate before the bombardment commenced to support their claims.
The international organization additionally questioned the intention of such warnings, given their insufficiency, suggesting they could constitute a plot for mass displacement. Regardless of whether the warnings were adequate or not. Amnesty further added that "Israel" cannot treat civilians protected by international law, who chose to stay behind or could not leave their homes due to a myriad reasons, including disability and immobility, as targets.
"Israel must at all times abide by its obligations under international law, including by taking all feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians, wherever they are," the statement said.
The Israeli military has issued five evacuation orders in #Beirut within a short period. The latest orders include evacuations for the al-Omrousieh neighborhood in Choueifat, as well as for Hadath, Chiyah, and Haret Hreik in the southern suburb of Beirut.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 2, 2024
It is worth mentioning… pic.twitter.com/CywwpMHk4R
What is 'Israel's' intention?
Amnesty examined two evacuation incidents, asserting that the maps provided by the occupation's military spokesperson were far smaller than the radius "Israel" had specified.
In detail, the maps provided by the Israeli occupation highlight an alleged military target and instruct civilians to evacuate to an area at least 500 meters away from the building.
However, the map of the neighborhood is smaller than the 500m radius, meaning civilians who do abide by the map could arrive at any shown area on it and still be in the danger zone. Moreover, a proper timeline is never allocated, with Israeli airstrikes starting at random times following the orders.
In the South, the Israeli occupation has ordered the evacuation of around 118 villages and towns, including those located over 35 km from the border and outside the UN buffer zone, without providing clear military targets as per international law.
Amnesty flagged the warnings, and stated concerns of mass relocation from the Lebanese South as well, citing Principle 5 of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which states that, "in all circumstances, authorities and international actors must abide by their obligations under international law so as “to prevent and avoid conditions that might lead to displacement of persons”."
Read more: Evacuate or else: 'Israel's' 'thoughtful' tactics in Lebanon and Gaza
'Catastrophic' humanitarian state in Lebanon amid mass displacement
The constant warnings and the relentless bombardment across Lebanon have resulted in the forced displacement of over a million civilians, shaking the country's already unstable humanitarian situation to its core.
The Minister for Social Affairs in the Lebanese caretaker government, Hector Hajjar, described the humanitarian situation as close to catastrophic, saying "The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is being seriously tested. The government is doing everything possible despite the great difficulties," he said, adding, "Lebanon is in a catastrophic situation, and we thank everyone who helped and continues to help us."
Hajjar also revealed that almost 150,000 civilians have been accommodated, while 400,000 remain in need of shelter, with more expected to arrive as the war rages on. However, refugee centers have reached maximum capacity amid the influx of displacement.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati previously stated that around 1.2 million civilians were forced to leave their homes and villages amid "Israel's" intense and indiscriminate bombardment of the South.
"It is the largest displacement movement that may have happened... in Lebanon," Mikati highlighted
Read more: UNRWA chief: Lebanon’s displaced ‘traumatized by bombardment’
