PRC Condemns the “Ain al-Hilweh Massacre”: Refugees Killed in Their Forced Exile

PRC Condemns the “Ain al-Hilweh Massacre”: Refugees Killed in Their Forced Exile

The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) strongly condemns the brutal Israeli airstrike that targeted the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in the city of Sidon, southern Lebanon, on Tuesday evening. The attack resulted in the killing of at least 13 civilians and the injury of several others, including children and youth, in a deliberate strike on a densely populated civilian area inside the camp.

This bombing, which struck one of the most overcrowded and vulnerable areas in Lebanon, constitutes a compound crime and a flagrant assault that goes far beyond the Israeli army’s alleged military justifications. It is a direct attack on already-vulnerable groups who have lived for more than seven decades under conditions of forced displacement and minimal protection. What occurred is yet another chapter in the continued persecution of a displaced people: those who were uprooted from their towns and villages in Palestine now face Israeli violence pursuing them even in their places of refuge, in blatant violation of the sanctity of refugee camps, which are meant to remain safe civilian spaces until their natural return to their homeland.

The PRC affirms that the targeting of Ain al-Hilweh cannot be separated from Israel’s long-standing and ongoing attempts to erode Palestinian presence and identity. Despite their dire living conditions, the refugee camps have remained pillars of national memory and the true guardians of Palestinian identity and the right of return. Attacking refugee camps is therefore a deliberate effort to erase the refugee issue and undermine a legitimate, internationally-affirmed right of return as recognised by international law and UN resolutions.

This assault comes amid a dangerous regional escalation that risks broadening the cycle of violence, placing Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, as well as Lebanese civilians, under immediate threat. It exacerbates instability and undermines human security in a region already burdened by severe economic and social pressures.

In light of this, the Palestinian Return Centre calls for:

  • An immediate and unequivocal condemnation by the United Nations and the international community of this attack targeting unarmed civilians inside a refugee camp protected under international norms.
    • Urgent diplomatic action by influential states to enforce a comprehensive halt to attacks on civilian areas in Lebanon and to provide guarantees that prevent further bloodshed among Palestinian refugees.
    • The initiation of an independent and transparent international investigation into the circumstances of the Ain al-Hilweh attack, ensuring accountability and preventing impunity.
    • Strengthened emergency support for UNRWA and humanitarian organisations enabling them to fulfil their duties towards camp residents, ensuring their protection and humanitarian relief.

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    Short Link : https://prc.org.uk/en/post/5079