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Responding to the news<\/a> that the French War Crimes Unit has opened a judicial investigation into a deadly November 2024 Israeli strike on a civilian building in central Beirut, following a legal complaint filed by French-Lebanese artist and filmmaker Ali Cherri and the International Federation for Human Rights, Amnesty International\u2019s Regional Director Heba Morayef said:\u00a0<\/p>\n The opening of this judicial investigation by the French War Crimes Unit is a critical, long-overdue step towards making a dent in the wall of pervasive impunity enjoyed by Israeli forces for war crimes committed in Lebanon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Heba Morayef, Amnesty International<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u201cThe opening of this judicial investigation by the French War Crimes Unit is a critical, long-overdue step towards making a dent in the wall of pervasive impunity enjoyed by Israeli forces for war crimes committed in Lebanon.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor victims and their families, this case offers a rare and vital avenue for truth, justice, and long-awaited accountability through a European court.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAmnesty International\u2019s research into this strike research found no effective advance warning was given and uncovered no evidence of a military objective in the vicinity, concluding that the attack must be investigated as a war crime. Since October 2023, Amnesty International has documented repeated unlawful attacks by\u202fthe Israeli forces in Lebanon, yet victims continue to be denied justice, truth or reparations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon continue and civilians continue to bear the cost of displacement and destruction of civilian property, states must use every available legal avenue, including extraterritorial jurisdiction, to ensure that all those suspected of criminal responsibility are brought to justice in fair trials and that impunity does not prevail.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The civil complaint was filed on 1 April 2026 before France\u2019s War Crimes Unit by French-Lebanese filmmaker Ali Cherri and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) following the 26 November 2024 strike on the Cherri building in Beirut\u2019s Nouweiri neighbourhood.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The attack killed seven civilians, including Ali Cherri\u2019s parents Nadira\u202fHayek (78) and Mahmoud\u202fNaim Cherri (88)\u202fand their\u202fIive-in\u202fhelper Birki\u202fNegesa.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
Background<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\n