Beirut (HRNW)- International human rights organization Amnesty International has accused the Israeli military of carrying out large-scale forced displacement of civilians in Lebanon, warning that such actions could amount to war crimes under international humanitarian law.
In a statement, Amnesty International said that Israeli forces allegedly forced residents in several areas of southern Lebanon to leave their homes and ancestral lands and subsequently prevented them from returning. According to the organization, such actions may constitute “illegal transfer” under international law.
The organization stated that its findings were based on a review of Israeli military orders that designated extensive areas as restricted zones where civilians were prohibited from entering.
According to Amnesty International, the use of these restrictions expanded significantly in Lebanon, affecting large numbers of people and resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians from their communities.
Christine Beckerle, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, called on Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory and end policies that, according to the organization, result in the forced displacement of civilian populations.
The report stated that approximately 4.6 percent of Lebanon was declared a restricted “no-go zone” by the Israeli military one day after the November 2024 ceasefire. Amnesty further claimed that following the announcement of another ceasefire in April 2026, the restricted area expanded to nearly 6 percent of Lebanese territory under what was termed a “Forward Defense Zone.”
According to the organization, residents from several villages located within these zones have been prevented from returning to their homes despite the fact that the areas were inhabited by tens of thousands of civilians before the conflict.
Amnesty International warned that the continuation of these policies could deepen Lebanon’s humanitarian challenges and further affect the rights and livelihoods of displaced populations.
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