Sabra and Shatila Massacre Overview

The Sabra and Shatila massacre took place between September 16 and 18, 1982, in the Sabra neighborhood and the adjacent Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. The massacre was carried out by a Lebanese Christian militia, the Phalange, with the Israeli Defense Forces surrounding the area.

During the massacre, hundreds to possibly thousands of Palestinian refugees were killed. The attack occurred in the context of the Lebanese Civil War and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982.

Investigations, including the Israeli Kahan Commission, concluded that the Israeli military bore indirect responsibility for not preventing the massacre. The event remains one of the most controversial and tragic incidents in the Lebanese conflict.