Ten-day ceasefire risks masking ongoing violations in Lebanon, warns ActionAid

Sabine Abiad, ActionAid’s Regional Campaigns Coordinator for the Arab Region, said: 

“The announcement of a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon may bring a moment of desperately needed relief. But Lebanon should have never been excluded from initial ceasefire arrangements to begin with. 

Across Lebanon over the last year before this latest war even began, communities have faced ongoing airstrikes, territorial incursions and the destruction of homes and critical infrastructure by Israeli forces. 

Many have been forced to flee multiple times and are now living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to basic services. Our partners report that families are exhausted, experiencing severe psychological distress, and deprived of even the most basic needs, such as hot water or a safe place to sleep. 

This can’t just be about a short-term pause in attacks, especially one lasting only ten days. It must be about accountability. We’re deeply concerned about violations of international humanitarian law in Lebanon, including attacks on civilian areas and essential services. A temporary ceasefire will not erase that, or the need to hold those responsible to account. 

Reports that Israel does not plan to withdraw its military from southern Lebanon during the ten-day ceasefire are deeply concerning. This is unacceptable. A ceasefire that does not include the withdrawal of forces raises serious questions about the purpose of that continued presence. It risks sustaining the same conditions of fear, displacement and harm that civilians have already endured for months. 

This cannot continue unchecked, as it has for far too long in Palestine, where the absence of accountability has enabled repeated violations of international humanitarian law and entrenched cycles of violence and displacement. 

Agreements are only meaningful if they are respected and international law is not optional. This ceasefire must be used as a first step towards a sustained cessation of hostilities, alongside independent investigations into potential war crimes and meaningful steps towards accountability that deliver real justice for the Lebanese people. 

People in Lebanon have the right to live in safety and dignity, free from fear, free from attacks, and free from the constant horror of war. 

Without accountability, there can be no lasting peace, only the conditions for further cycles of violence.”