Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into an Israeli strike on a family in Lebanon, which resulted in the death of three girls and their grandmother. The organization claims that the strike should be considered a war crime due to the Israeli military’s failure to distinguish between combatants and civilians. The Israeli military has admitted to carrying out the strike but has not provided further evidence to justify their claim that the car contained terrorists. Human Rights Watch is urging Israel’s allies, including the US, to demand accountability for the unlawful strike. Human Rights Watch reported
Human Rights Watch has called for an investigation into an Israeli airstrike on a family in Beirut, which they believe to be an apparent war crime. The attack occurred on November 5, 2023, and resulted in the death of three girls and their grandmother, while their mother was injured. The family had been traveling from south Lebanon to Beirut following heavy shelling by Israeli forces earlier that day. The uncle of the girls, Samir Ayoub, who was traveling in a separate car ahead of the one that was hit, stated in a televised interview that there were no military targets in the vicinity and that the attack showed a reckless disregard for civilian life.
Human Rights Watch has criticized the Israeli military for failing to distinguish between combatants and civilians, resulting in the deaths of innocent people. They argue that this constitutes a violation of the laws of war and that Israel’s allies, including the US, should demand accountability for this unlawful strike. The Israeli military admitted to carrying out the strike, claiming that the car contained several terrorists. However, they have provided no further evidence to support this claim.
Human Rights Watch conducted an investigation into the incident, which included interviews with Ayoub and a civil defense official who responded to the scene. They also reviewed videos of the aftermath, CCTV footage of the family’s vehicle before the strike, and statements from the hospital where the victims were taken. The organization geolocated the videos to confirm their authenticity.
The girls, aged 14, 12, and 10, along with their mother and grandmother, were the only occupants of the car. The head of the hospital reported that the bodies of the girls and their grandmother were completely burned, while the mother was injured but stable.
Ayoub stated that he frequently used the road where the attack occurred and that there were no military targets in the area. Human Rights Watch found no evidence to contradict this claim. They argue that even if there were a military target nearby, targeting a car carrying civilians would still be unlawful.
CCTV footage provided by Ayoub showed the family’s vehicle at a shop approximately 1.7 kilometers from the attack site, confirming his account. The footage depicted the mother and one of the girls leaving the shop, with at least two other girls visible in the backseat of the car. Additionally, a live TV transmission from the scene of the strike showed the civil defense team removing a charred body from the car.
The Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon occurred amidst increased tensions along the border between Lebanon and Israel. Both sides have engaged in rocket attacks and armed clashes since October 8. According to reports, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 10 civilians, while Hezbollah and Palestinian groups have launched attacks into Israel, resulting in the deaths of two civilians and six soldiers.
Human Rights Watch has called on Israel’s allies to suspend military assistance and arms sales to the country. They also urge Iran and other governments to cease providing arms to Palestinian armed groups. Under international law, all parties to the conflict are obligated to distinguish between combatants and civilians and to target only combatants. Individuals who commit war crimes may be prosecuted, and governments have a duty to investigate alleged war crimes by their armed forces..