Between September and November 2024, Israeli ground forces occupied numerous schools in southern Lebanon during hostilities with Hezbollah, using some as military barracks and deliberately vandalizing, pillaging, and destroying property, Human Rights Watch reports. Such acts—documented at least in two schools—amount to war crimes under international law.

The conflict has devastated Lebanon’s education system, already strained by years of economic crisis and ongoing violence. Over 100 schools in the south have been destroyed or heavily damaged since October 2023, forcing tens of thousands of children out of classrooms and deepening humanitarian distress.

Human Rights Watch’s on-site investigations found evidence of Israeli occupation—such as Hebrew graffiti and discarded military items—in five of seven schools visited, with extensive damage attributed to small arms fire and explosives.

While the Israeli military acknowledges operating from civilian buildings “based on operational needs,” it denies condoning vandalism and promises investigations into any misconduct. Hezbollah did not respond to inquiries about its actions near schools.

Lebanon, which has endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration to protect education during conflict, faces an urgent need to rebuild its shattered infrastructure in a transparent and equitable manner.

International donors should support these efforts. To ensure accountability, Lebanon is urged to grant the International Criminal Court jurisdiction over atrocity crimes committed since October 2023.

The destruction and occupation of schools not only violate the laws of war but also imperil the future of Lebanon’s children, particularly girls, who face greater risks from disrupted education. Rebuilding must be swift and just, or the scars of war will haunt a generation still struggling to learn.

Source: HRW