Damascus, June 18 (SANA) Amnesty International has warned that Israel’s continued restrictions on the return of residents to parts of southern Lebanon could amount to a war crime, citing the forced displacement of civilians and ongoing barriers preventing them from returning to their homes.
In a statement published Wednesday, the rights organization said Israeli evacuation orders had displaced hundreds of thousands of people and that authorities had failed to provide adequate guarantees for the safety of civilians affected by the measures.
Amnesty International said areas from which residents are barred from returning now cover around 600 square kilometers in southern Lebanon, equivalent to about 6 percent of the country’s territory. The organization added that more than one million people remain displaced.
According to Amnesty, Israeli forces have killed 81 civilians and injured 120 others as they attempted to return to their villages amid continuing restrictions and the expansion of prohibited zones.
The organization also said that more than 3,700 people have been killed in Lebanon since March 2 as a result of ongoing Israeli attacks and the effects of displacement and restrictions on civilian movement.
Separately, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative in Lebanon Anandita Philipose warned of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the country due to continued hostilities and large-scale displacement.
Philipose called for sustained humanitarian access and an end to the fighting, stressing the need to address the growing needs of affected communities.
The statements come amid continued international concern over the humanitarian impact of the conflict and displacement in southern Lebanon.
F.J./ABD
