French Courts Seek Justice for Artist's Loss in Beirut Attack

A complaint filed in France seeks a war crimes investigation into an Israeli airstrike on a Beirut apartment building in November 2024. The strike reportedly killed seven civilians, including the parents of French-Lebanese artist Ali Cherri, according to a human rights group.

The complaint, lodged with France's war crimes unit, targets unknown perpetrators of the strike that destroyed Cherri's ninth-floor apartment in Beirut's Noueiri neighborhood, just hours before a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was to take effect. This attack could align with criteria for a war crime under French and international laws.

Human rights groups Forensic Architecture and Amnesty International have analyzed the attack. Amnesty's investigation found no military objective near the site, suggesting the building was targeted unlawfully. In response, Israel's Foreign Ministry deferred all questions to the military, which has maintained that only legitimate military targets are struck.