Large-scale evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army for southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs raise serious concerns under international law, the U.N. human rights chief said on Friday.
“These blanket, massive displacement orders we are talking here about hundreds and thousands of people,” said United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk.
“This raises serious concern under international humanitarian law, and in particular when it comes to issues around forced transfer,” he added.
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut overnight after ordering its residents to leave, while the Iran-backed group warned Israelis to leave towns and villages at the frontier.
On Thursday, an Israeli military spokesperson told residents of the southern suburbs to move east and north, posting a map showing four large districts of the capital he said they must leave, including areas adjacent to Beirut’s airport.
Blanket evacuation orders in Lebanon
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