BEIRUT — The United Nations’ human rights chief called on Israel to end its occupation of significant portions of southern Lebanon and to stop demolishing homes in the area, ahead of a scheduled meeting between Lebanese and Israeli officials slated for later this week. Volker Türk, who concluded a visit to Lebanon on Monday, emphasized the urgency of addressing the ongoing conflict and humanitarian concerns in the region.

Türk's visit marked his second trip to Lebanon in just over a year and included meetings with government officials, civil society groups, and Lebanese civilians displaced by recent violence between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group. The discussions took place amid efforts to advance peace talks set for Rome, where representatives from both countries are expected to negotiate the implementation of a framework agreement reached on June 26.

The framework outlines plans for Lebanese military forces to be deployed in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces currently maintain a presence, alongside provisions for Israel's withdrawal and the disarmament of Hezbollah. However, Hezbollah has rejected the direct talks and maintains that it will not give up its weapons.

Türk highlighted serious concerns about Israeli military actions in Lebanon, suggesting that some could constitute violations of international humanitarian law. He cited the widespread destruction of towns and villages, as well as the deaths of numerous medical workers and journalists, as indicators of potential war crimes. “Demolition of this type raises huge flags about compliance with international humanitarian law,” he said.

Israel defends its operations as targeted strikes against Hezbollah militants and infrastructure, accusing the group of embedding itself among civilians. Israeli officials report uncovering weapons caches and tunnel networks belonging to Hezbollah in the occupied zones of southern Lebanon.

The current hostilities escalated on March 2, when Hezbollah launched rocket attacks toward Israel in response to strikes attributed to U.S. and Israeli forces in February that targeted Iranian-linked entities. The cycle of violence has contributed to ongoing instability in the region, complicating diplomatic efforts to reach a sustainable resolution.