Five rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, urged Lebanon’s justice minister and deputy prime minister on 24 February 2026 to pursue investigations, accept ICC jurisdiction under article 12(3), and adopt domestic laws criminalising war crimes to secure justice and reparations for civilians harmed in the conflict with Israel (Open letter, Feb 2026). Since the ceasefire arrangements of November 2024 and the partial Israeli pullback deadline, Israeli operations and destruction, according to the groups, have left thousands displaced, infrastructure shattered, and civilians bereft of remedy.

The letter recommends immediate steps: a public registrar of deaths and damage, independent domestic probes, an invitation to the UN special rapporteur on truth and reparations, and legislative reforms. It also urges third states, notably the United States, to suspend arms transfers to Israel where there is a significant risk of their use in violations of international law, and to consider universal jurisdiction investigations.

Lebanon’s government faces political sensitivities: accepting ICC jurisdiction or prosecuting alleged crimes domestically implicates regional actors and could inflame tensions. Yet, without transparent legal measures and reparations frameworks, cycles of impunity will persist, and victims’ rights will remain unfulfilled. The call is clear: accountability and reparation are prerequisites for sustainable recovery (Amnesty, HRW, Legal Agenda et al., Feb 2026).

Sources: Open letter from Amnesty, HRW, Legal Agenda, Union of Journalists in Lebanon, Reporters Without Borders, February 2026.