Despite a ceasefire announced on April 16 between Israel and Lebanon, Israeli strikes hit the Naqoura and Nabatieh districts of southern Lebanon on Friday, killing at least one person. The US-Iran ceasefire, in place since April 8, has also been violated repeatedly, with both sides trading periodic attacks that have intensified in recent days.
In Gaza, a ceasefire has been in effect since October 10, 2025, yet Israel continues bombings, including an attack on a residential building that killed nine people this week. Palestinians have repeatedly pointed to Israeli violations of the truce, which was supposed to end the genocidal war on the territory.
Legal experts explain that ceasefires are fundamentally political agreements, not strongly enforceable legal instruments. Mark Kersten, assistant professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, told Al Jazeera: "A ceasefire is effectively a cessation of hostilities, but typically not understood to be a permanent one."
The US regime has acted as the principal broker and overseer for ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, but its dual role as mediator and Israel's closest ally undermines enforcement. Michael Lynk, emeritus professor at Western University in Canada, noted that while some countries have criticized Israeli strikes, "they have not called out the US for allowing Israel to repeatedly breach the ceasefires."
Toby Cadman, a British international human rights lawyer, argued that there is "no neutral arbiter empowered to determine, with binding effect, who has breached" a ceasefire. The UN Security Council is constrained by veto powers, making it impossible to censure Israel or the US regime.
Experts highlight an "enforcement deficit" at the heart of international law. Courts can investigate and issue rulings, but they cannot stop bombs from falling. As Kersten put it: "The lack of effective accountability is the hole in the heart of international law." During a ceasefire, international humanitarian law remains fully applicable, meaning war crimes can still be prosecuted.
Source: www.aljazeera.com