Paris judges assigned to probe Beirut strike that killed artist's parents
A French court has accepted a civil complaint alleging war crimes in an airstrike on a central Beirut apartment building in 2024.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Two investigating judges have been appointed by the Paris Judicial Court to examine allegations of war crimes related to an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. The move was announced on Tuesday by Clémence Bectarte, the attorney representing the complainants. This formal step opens a new legal avenue for victims of the November 2024 attack.
The complaint was filed in the spring of 2026 by Ali Cherri, a French-Lebanese artist, and the International Federation for Human Rights. Cherri joined the case as a civil party after losing his parents in the strike. Bectarte described the appointment of a dedicated crimes against humanity unit as a first for this specific type of legal proceeding in France.
The incident occurred on the evening of November 26, 2024, hours before a scheduled ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect. According to the FIDH, the strike hit the Barbour district of central Beirut at approximately 5:30 p.m. The explosion destroyed a ninth-floor apartment owned by Cherri, as well as units on the seventh and eighth floors.
Mahmoud Naim Cherri and Nadira Hayek, the artist's parents, were among the deceased, along with domestic worker Birki Negesa. Five other civilians also died in the blast. The legal filing argues that targeting a civilian structure in this manner constitutes a war crime under French criminal law and international humanitarian law.
Cherri said he has fought for nearly two years to ensure the bombing does not go unpunished. He expressed hope that the investigation will help break a cycle of impunity for Israeli officials responsible for attacks on civilians in Lebanon and Palestine. The FIDH stated its analysis drew on reports from Amnesty International and Forensic Architecture.
Amnesty International supported the case, noting its investigation found no military objective in or near the building at the time of the strike. The group argued that civilians received no effective advance warning. In contrast, the Israel Defense Forces previously stated it targets only legitimate military assets while acknowledging that Hezbollah operates within civilian areas.
The strike happened during the 2023-2024 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated into full-scale war in September 2024. A US-brokered ceasefire followed in November 2024. Fighting resumed on March 2, 2026, after US and Israeli strikes on Iran. More than 1,200 people have been killed and over one million displaced in Lebanon during this current phase of the conflict.
A framework deal signed in June between Israel and Lebanon aims to disarm Hezbollah and withdraw Israeli forces. The group remains heavily entrenched in civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon and opposes the agreement. The Paris court will now proceed with fact-finding as part of the formal investigation.
