Rights group accuses Israel of disregarding civilian lives

Human Rights Watch, on Tuesday, condemned an Israeli military operation in southern Lebanon that resulted in the deaths of three children and their grandmother earlier in the month. The human rights organization criticized the strike for showing a lack of concern for civilian lives.

This critique comes amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border that began on Oct. 8. Although the conflicts have intensified, they are currently limited to regions close to the border. The international community and the Lebanese government are actively working to prevent these clashes from escalating into a full-scale war in Lebanon, a small country in the Mediterranean.

The Israeli military conducted an airstrike on Nov. 5 that targeted a vehicle traveling between Ainata and Aitaroun, two towns in southern Lebanon. The car was carrying three young girls, their grandmother, and their mother. Among them, only the mother survived and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital in stable condition.

Human Rights Watch reported that they carried out interviews and reviewed video footage of the incident. The Israeli military has also acknowledged the strike and is conducting its own investigation.

Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher with Human Rights Watch in Lebanon, criticized Israeli authorities for their persistent failure to conduct credible investigations into their serious misconducts, even in cases where they admit to their actions. He emphasized that Israel’s allies should demand accountability for these violations of war laws and apparent war crimes committed by Israel.