7/8/2025–|Last update: 05:12 (Mecca time)
On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch made clear accusations of Israeli forces of sabotaging schools in southern Lebanon, and confirmed that the occupation and sabotage of schools fall within “possible war crimes threatening the right to education.”
“Rights Watch” said that Israeli forces occupied schools in southern Lebanon during combat actions with Hezbollah between September and November 2024.
“It seems that the Israeli forces have deliberately sabotaging school property, looting and destroying them in no less than two schools, which are actions that amount to war crimes,” she added.
It recorded that children are facing Lebanon – for more than 6 years – major interruptions in their education since the 2019 economic crisis, and stressed that Lebanon and donor governments should give priority to rebuilding basic infrastructure, including schools in a transparent, accountable and corruption -free manner.
Ramzi Qais, a researcher in Lebanon’s affairs in Human Rights Watch, said: “Many border villages were seized in southern Lebanon, and where existing schools remain, a number of them were sabotaged, and at least two schools were looted by the Israeli forces,” said Ramzi Qais, a researcher in Lebanon’s affairs in Human Rights Watch.
“By looting schools, the Israeli forces committed clear war crimes and endangered students in Lebanon at risk,” Qais added.
He stressed the necessity of reconstruction so that tens of thousands of displaced residents can return to their homes and villages and children can obtain their right to education. He also called on the Lebanese government to ensure justice for violations and crimes, including by granting the state to the International Criminal Court.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmadwzo-l6w
The organization indicated that more than 100 schools have been destroyed or “severely damaged” in southern Lebanon since the start of combat actions in October 2023, according to the figures of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Human Rights Watch reported that it visited 7 schools in southern Lebanon between January and March 2025, located in border villages and towns and documented the damage and destruction that caused schools and the surrounding villages.
The International Human Rights Organization confirmed that it found “evidence indicating that the Israeli forces occupied five of the seven schools that were visited”, and among the evidence is Israeli food items and other waste written in Hebrew, as well as writings in Hebrew on the walls of schools and classes of classes.
Human Rights Watch also spoke with school administrators and administrators about the effects of this on children obtaining education, as well as with two international humanitarian organizations that also had damage to schools and their impact on education.
The donors and relief agencies demanded the support of the Lebanese government for the reconstruction of schools and other civilian infrastructure quickly, and considered that ensuring accountability requires the Lebanese government to grant the International Criminal Court the jurisdiction of the investigation and the prosecution of international crimes committed on Lebanese territory since October 2023.
