The Legal Agenda is presenting a series of reports of war crimes committed by Israel in the context of its aggression against Lebanon. These reports are an attempt to document these crimes and pave the way for an independent and transparent investigation into them. They are based on preliminary information available at the time of their publication, and we hope that they can contribute to the necessary national efforts to document war crimes.

Facts

Attack on Mokdad Neighborhood, Jnah, Beirut, 21 October 2024

• The Israeli occupation army launched an attack on the Mokdad neighborhood in the vicinity of Rafik Hariri University Hospital – a public hospital – in Jnah, Beirut.
• The attack killed 18 people, including four children, and wounded 60. Seventeen of the wounded required hospitalization, with seven in critical condition.
• The attack completely destroyed three residential buildings.
• The attack also caused significant damage to the hospital, including smashed windows and solar panels, collapsed ceilings, and damage to its pharmacy.

No Legitimate Target or Advanced Warning

• No Israeli statement about this attack has been issued, and no legitimate military target has been observed.
• No advanced warning about the attack was issued.
• On the same night, the occupation army issued seven evacuation orders for various buildings in Dahieh (Beirut’s southern suburb) and in Beirut’s Ouzai area, which was then targeted for the very first time.

Context

This attack is part of the Israeli occupation’s strategy of destroying civilian facilities, especially those used by the health sector, in Gaza and Lebanon. To date, Israeli attacks in Southern Lebanon and Dahieh have taken seven hospitals completely out of service, and two others are now only treating emergency cases. On the same night, the Israeli army’s spokesperson threatened Sahel General Hospital in Haret Hreik, Dahieh, claiming that Hezbollah had stashed the deposits held by the al-Qard al-Hasan Association in tunnels underneath it. However, that hospital was not targeted.

British-Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu Sitta has described Israel’s strategy of publishing lies and misinformation and targeting hospitals and their surroundings as “central to Israeli military doctrine”.

The Laws of War

• Directing attacks against the civilian population or attacking dwellings that are not military objectives is prohibited.
• Targeting hospitals and medical staff treating the sick and wounded is prohibited.
• Acts of violence the primary purpose of which is to spread terror among the civilian population are prohibited (Paragraph 2 of Article 51 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions).
• In the case that a legitimate military objective exists, it is prohibited to launch an attack with the knowledge that it will cause loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, or damage to civilian objects that would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.
• Pursuant to the principle of precaution, all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, and damage to civilian objects. Greater efforts to respect the principle of precaution must be made when the military action occurs near hospitals.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the Israeli strike near Rafik Hariri University Hospital. He reiterated that the international humanitarian law principles of discrimination, precaution, and proportionality must be respected and that hospitals enjoy special protection. He also called for a prompt and thorough investigation into any incidents that affect hospitals.

Previous Reports of Israeli War Crimes in Lebanon

• War Crime Alert No. 1: The Targeting of an Islamic Health Organization Center and Its Staff, Bachoura, Beirut, 2 October 2024
• War Crime Alert No. 2: The Targeting of Salah Ghandour Hospital, Bint Jbeil, Nabatieh, 4 October 2024
• War Crime Alert No. 3: Rescue Operations Blocked in Mreijeh, Dahieh, Beirut, 4 October 2024 Onwards
• War Crime Alert No. 4: The Targeting of the Bint Jbeil Fire Station and Brigade, Baraachit, 6 October 2024
• War Crime Alert No. 5: The Targeting of UN Peacekeepers, Southern Lebanon, 4-20 October 2024
• War Crime Alert No. 6: Attacks on al-Qard al-Hasan Association, Lebanon, 20 October 2024

This article is an edited translation from Arabic.