ICTJ welcomes Tuesday’s ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran as a step that could open a path away from escalating violence and spare civilian lives. We call on all parties to fully honor its spirit and terms without delay.
However, this agreement has already been tested. Just hours after the announcement, the moment when many Lebanese people began to feel a measure of safety and hope, Israeli forces carried out more than a hundred airstrikes in Beirut and other populated areas in Lebanon.
These indiscriminate strikes, among the most intense since the beginning of the conflict, killed more than 300 people, destroyed critical infrastructure, and devastated civilian communities. This massacre constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law and underscores the tragic human cost of Israel’s aggression.
It also highlights a fundamental concern. The value of a ceasefire lies not only in its announcement, but in its scope, credibility, and implementation. When civilians continue to face bombardments in the hours and days after a ceasefire takes effect, the gap between the promise of protection and a violent reality is measured in human lives.
ICTJ stands unequivocally with the Lebanese people and all victims across the region. All attacks on and threats to civilian communities and infrastructure must stop. All actors who commit these violations must be held accountable. Impunity only leads to future cycles of violence. ICTJ urges all parties to cease hostilities immediately, respect the ceasefire agreement, and channel all available resources to good-faith negotiations to end the war and provide justice and repair to all victims.
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PHOTO: A thick cloud of smoke rises over the southern suburbs of Beirut following an Israeli airstrike in March 2026. (Mohamad Salman)
