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France’s War Crimes Unit has opened an investigation into a November 2024 Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beirut where artist Ali Cherri’s parents lived. The strike killed his parents, a domestic worker and at least four other civilians, according to the report. The investigation follows a complaint by Cherri and evidence cited by Amnesty International and Forensic Architecture; no findings of criminal responsibility have been announced.
France’s War Crimes Unit has opened an investigation into an Israeli airstrike that hit a residential building in Beirut on November 26, 2024, killing French-Lebanese artist and filmmaker Ali Cherri’s parents, their domestic worker and at least four other civilians, according to Hyperallergic. The inquiry follows a complaint Cherri filed seven months earlier alleging war crimes; the investigation is not a finding of guilt.
The strike hit the 12-story apartment building in the Barbour neighborhood of Beirut, where Cherri’s family lived. His parents, Mahmoud Naim Cherri and Nadira Hayek, and domestic worker Birki Negesa were found in the wreckage of the artist’s ninth-floor apartment, according to the report. At least four other civilians in the building were also killed.
Cherri and his legal representatives at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) filed a complaint accusing Israel of war crimes, including intentionally directing an attack against a civilian object. Their submission drew on a February report by Amnesty International and a digital reconstruction of the building by London-based research agency Forensic Architecture. The complaint’s allegations remain allegations; the French inquiry is now examining the case.
Amnesty said its research found no evidence of a verifiable military target at the strike site and concluded that Israeli forces did not issue civilians an evacuation warning beforehand. Those are findings attributed to the rights group, not determinations announced by French investigators. The strike took place less than 12 hours before a temporary ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel came into effect.
A French Inquiry Into Civilian Harm
The investigation places a deadly strike in Lebanon before French judicial authorities, rather than leaving the matter solely to public criticism or international reporting. It may give investigators a route to assess the evidence gathered by Cherri’s legal team, Amnesty International and Forensic Architecture against the legal standards relevant to alleged war crimes.
For Cherri and the other victims’ families, the inquiry concerns whether the attack on a residential building violated the laws of war and whether anyone can be held legally responsible. For readers following the conflict, it also shows how allegations about a specific strike can lead to an investigation in a country connected to the people involved. Opening an investigation does not establish that a crime occurred or predict whether charges will follow.
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Evidence Behind Cherri’s Complaint
Cherri’s complaint came after the November 26, 2024, strike on the building constructed by his family. The reported damage was concentrated in apartments on the eastern side, from the seventh through the tenth floors. His parents and Negesa were found in the remains of the ninth-floor apartment where they lived.
Forensic Architecture digitally reconstructed the building using documentation from Cherri and neighboring witnesses collected after the strike. Its work and Amnesty International’s findings informed the complaint’s allegation that the attack was intentionally directed at a civilian object. Amnesty’s report also addressed whether there was a verifiable military target and whether an evacuation warning was given. The information provided does not specify the full evidentiary record available to French investigators or the precise investigative steps they have taken so far.
Questions for French Investigators
The available report does not identify the specific evidence French investigators have accepted or the investigative measures they plan to pursue. It also does not say whether Israeli officials or military representatives have responded to the complaint, or whether the investigation will lead to charges. No determination of guilt has been reported.
The number of people killed beyond the named victims is reported as at least four other civilians; the material provided does not give their names or a complete account of all casualties. Amnesty’s conclusions and the complaint’s allegations will need to be distinguished from findings made by the French authorities as the case develops.
The Investigation’s Next Steps
French investigators will assess the complaint and its supporting material, including the Amnesty International report and Forensic Architecture’s reconstruction. The source report does not provide a timetable for the inquiry or announce a date for any decision on charges. Further updates may clarify what evidence authorities are gathering, whether they seek information from other parties and whether the case proceeds to a formal prosecution.
For now, the confirmed development is the opening of an investigation. Its scope, timeline and eventual outcome remain unknown; the inquiry itself does not establish that the alleged war crime occurred or identify anyone as legally responsible.
Key Questions
What is France investigating?
France’s War Crimes Unit is investigating the November 26, 2024, Israeli airstrike on a residential building in Beirut where Ali Cherri’s parents lived. The case follows Cherri’s complaint alleging war crimes.
Who was killed in the strike?
The report names Cherri’s parents, Mahmoud Naim Cherri and Nadira Hayek, and their domestic worker, Birki Negesa. It also reports that at least four other civilians living in the building were killed.
What evidence informed the complaint?
The complaint drew on Amnesty International’s findings and a digital reconstruction by Forensic Architecture, commissioned by Cherri and his FIDH legal representatives. Amnesty said it found no evidence of a verifiable military target at the site and said no evacuation warning was issued.
Has France found Israel or any individual guilty?
No. The report says an investigation has been opened, not that a court or investigator has made a finding of guilt. The allegation in Cherri’s complaint remains to be examined.
What happens next?
French investigators will examine the complaint and supporting evidence. No public timetable, decision on charges or eventual outcome has been reported.
Source: hyperallergic.com
