Amnesty International Urges Investigation into Israeli Attacks on Al-Qard Al-Hassan Foundation

Amnesty International has called for an investigation into the Israeli military's targeting of the Al-Qard Al-Hassan Foundation, labeling it a potential war crime. The foundation, which serves as an economic lifeline for many Lebanese civilians, operates over 30 branches across Lebanon and provides essential microfinance services. The attacks on the foundation's branches occurred shortly after the Israeli army announced its intention to target Hezbollah-affiliated infrastructure, leading to 11 reported strikes on the foundation's facilities in various regions, including Beirut and the Bekaa Valley. Amnesty emphasized that under international humanitarian law, financial institutions are civilian objects unless utilized for military purposes, suggesting that the Israeli attacks likely constituted direct assaults on civilian infrastructure. The Al-Qard Al-Hassan Foundation has been a crucial source of interest-free loans for Lebanese citizens, particularly since the banking crisis of 2019, and is currently the largest microfinance provider in the country.