Source: Amnesty International –
The fragile, temporary ceasefires, between the United States and Iran, and between Israel and Lebanon, must be replaced by an enduring, sustained, and comprehensive regional ceasefire that covers all countries affected by this conflict, to avoid further catastrophic civilian suffering and pave the way for justice, respect for international law and long-term human rights protection for all, Amnesty International said today.
Despite a reduction in armed hostilities this remains a critical and deeply precarious moment for civilians across the Middle East. Both current ceasefire agreements are fragile, temporary and in danger of collapse at any moment, endangering the lives of millions of civilians once more. The USA and Iran are continuing to trade threats and carry out attacks and ship seizures in the Strait of Hormuz. In Lebanon, as has been the case since 2024, the latest ceasefire has led to a reduction but not an end in hostilities and the Israeli military has remained on Lebanese territory, ordering residents in dozens of villages in border areas not to return. Meanwhile, civilians in Iran face dual risks of atrocity crimes linked to a resumption in unlawful US/Israeli attacks as well as further deadly repression by the Iranian authorities.
“The 28 February US-Israeli attacks on Iran were unlawful, violating the UN Charter’s prohibition on the use of force and they triggered unlawful acts by Iranian authorities in retaliation. Since then, more than 5,000 people have been killed and millions of civilians across the Middle East have had their lives upended as interrelated conflicts have escalated across the region and civilians and civilian infrastructure have come under attack. All parties including the USA, Israel, Iran and Hezbollah have launched unlawful attacks displaying a chilling disregard for human life, while the US President has issued brazen threats to commit war crimes and even genocide, threatening to wipe out ‘a whole civilization’ in Iran.
“The international community must now draw a red line: there must be a durable and genuine ceasefire; this requires a full halt in armed hostilities by all parties, across all affected countries,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“The so-called ceasefire agreements reached in Gaza in 2025 and Lebanon in 2024 demonstrably failed to stop Israeli attacks on civilians, with as many as 765 Palestinians killed since then, and near daily air strikes and extensive destruction of civilian property in southern Lebanon.
“In a region long scarred by conflict, amidst long-standing impunity for crimes under international law, and the constant threat of renewed violence, civilians cannot afford another partial, selective or short-lived pause that leaves them living in fear and bracing for a repetition of the atrocities they have suffered.”
The international community must now draw a red line: there must be a durable and genuine ceasefire; this requires a full halt in armed hostilities by all parties, across all affected countries
Agnès Callamard, Secretary General
The armed conflicts quickly spread to 12 countries, endangering the lives and health of millions of civilians with attacks devastating civilian homes and critical infrastructure, harming the environment, and triggering economic shockwaves felt across the region and the globe.
A sustainable, enduring ceasefire is the only credible path to protecting civilians and paving the way for longer-term security, human rights protection and justice for all in the region – including those in Iran, Lebanon, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and in Gulf states.
In Iran, by 7 April, US and Israeli attacks had resulted in at least 3,375 people killed and 25,000 injured, including hundreds of children, according to official figures. The US-Israeli attacks in Iran took place as the population was still reeling from unprecedented massacres of thousands of protesters and bystanders by Iranian authorities during the crackdown on January 2026 protests.
In Lebanon, by the time the ceasefire was announced, 2,294 people had been killed, including 177 children, more than 7,500 wounded. Since the ceasefire, Israel and Hezbollah have continued to trade attacks, with continued reports of civilian casualties.
At least 21 civilians have been killed in Israel where the population has endured attacks from both Iran and Hezbollah. Four people have been killed in the occupied West Bank. Between 28 February and 15 April 2026, at least 29 people have been killed in the Gulf including 13 in the United Arab Emirates, seven in Kuwait, three in Bahrain, three in Oman and three in Saudi Arabia. The figures exclude US military casualties.
In a briefing published today, Amnesty International details the ongoing dual risks faced by the people of Iran, who are trapped between armed conflict and deadly repression. The organization is highlighting the need for a dual, people-centred diplomatic approach that combines efforts to establish an enduring ceasefire with concrete steps to prevent atrocity crimes by the Iranian authorities.
“A ceasefire that is not accompanied by long-term solutions that safeguard human rights and address root causes is little more than a temporary patch over a deep wound. This is particularly true in Iran, where the population remains at risk of further atrocities at the hands of the Islamic Republic authorities, and in Lebanon, where civilians face the prospect of renewed conflict, indefinite displacement of civilians and destruction of their homes,” said Agnès Callamard.
“We are witnessing a continued dangerous erosion of the global international legal order and of respect for international humanitarian law. The international community must fully investigate the US and Israeli unlawful attacks on Iran in violation of the UN Charter and all crimes under international law, and ensure that states and individuals are held accountable.