UN rights office slams Israeli threats to inflict Gaza-level destruction on Lebanon

The UN human rights office on Tuesday slammed Israeli rhetoric suggesting Lebanon could face destruction similar to Gaza as “wholly unacceptable,” Anadolu reports.

“Statements by Israeli officials threatening to impose the same level of destruction on Lebanon as inflicted in Gaza are wholly unacceptable,” spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan told reporters in Geneva.

“Such rhetoric, coupled with the Israeli military’s announcement that it will deploy additional forces and expand its ground incursion, intensifies deep fear and anxiety among the Lebanese population,” he added.

The remarks come amid escalating violence and worsening humanitarian conditions in Lebanon, with many civilians displaced and struggling to meet basic needs.

READ: Israeli army begins ground offensive in Lebanon, defense minister says

Al-Kheetan said large numbers of displaced people have lost their homes, with families sheltering in overcrowded spaces or makeshift conditions, often lacking access to adequate food, water, and healthcare.

He stressed that international humanitarian law prohibits forced displacement and protects civilians, particularly vulnerable groups.

The spokesperson noted that at least 886 people have been killed, including at least 111 children, since March 2.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, he said, urged “an immediate cessation of hostilities and accountability for all violations,” and called on the international community to support the humanitarian response in Lebanon.

READ: Israel’s Smotrich threatens to bombard Lebanese capital to resemble Gaza’s Khan Younis