Sabra and Shatila massacre: 44 years since the 1982 Beirut killings

The Sabra and Shatila massacre, occurring between September 16 and 18, 1982, involved the killing of hundreds or potentially thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in refugee camps on the outskirts of Beirut.

The violence took place during the Lebanese Civil War following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, known as Operation Peace in Galilee. After the assassination of Lebanese President Bachir Gemayel, the Israeli army surrounded the camps while Christian Phalangist militias entered the area to carry out the killings.

Reports indicate that during the massacre, militias targeted civilians, including women and children, and attacked medical facilities such as the Akka and Gaza hospitals. The event remains a significant symbol of the brutality of the Lebanese Civil War and the complexities of international accountability in the region.