Israeli Forces Kill Reuters Journalist Issam Abdallah and Injure Six Others in Lebanon, Report Claims

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Reuters, a renowned news agency, has made a damning accusation against Israeli forces, claiming that they killed one of its journalists, Issam Abdallah, and injured six other reporters in Lebanon on October 13. In a comprehensive report published today, titled ‘Israeli tank fire killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah in Lebanon,’ the sequence of events leading to Issam’s tragic death was laid out, along with expert analysis of the evidence gathered from the ground.

According to the investigative report, at the time of the attack, a group of seven reporters from AFP, Al Jazeera, and Reuters were broadcasting live from the spot. They were all wearing blue flak jackets and helmets, with most of them having ‘PRESS’ written in white letters on their protective gear. The report also noted that there were journalists from at least seven other media outlets present in and around Alma al-Chaab that day.

One of Issam’s colleagues, quoted in the report, expressed that the location felt relatively safe as they could be easily identified as journalists and were in plain sight of the Israeli military, both on the ground and in the air.

Reportedly, less than 90 seconds after the AFP and Al Jazeera teams moved their cameras to show the Israeli outpost at Hanita, the first shot was fired at them from a different outpost, resulting in Issam’s death and the disruption of the Reuters live feed. The report revealed that 37 seconds later, a second shell set Al Jazeera’s equipment ablaze, knocking out their feed and toppling their camera. The camera continued filming the sky above, capturing the cries and screams of the wounded journalists.

The evidence presented in the report strongly supports Israel’s involvement in the attack. This evidence includes shrapnel and a tail fin recovered near Issam’s body, satellite images, audio recordings from Al Jazeera’s live feed, photographs, and video footage of the incident. Notably, Italian broadcaster Rai’s footage showed the Israel Defence Forces launching the second strike.

Furthermore, it was reported that the cameras of AFP and Al Jazeera continued broadcasting, providing additional evidence of the attack on journalists.

The Reuters report highlighted a concerning pattern of attacks on journalists and demanded a clear explanation from Israel. Phil Chetwynd, AFP’s global news director, stated that the targeting of a group of journalists who were clearly identified as media is both inexplicable and unacceptable.

Ihtisham Hibatullah, Al Jazeera’s manager of international communications, told Reuters that the investigation into the October 13 attack sheds light on Israel’s deliberate targeting of journalists. This attack was allegedly only the first of two strikes by the Israeli Defense Forces on reporters in Lebanon within a span of six weeks. Since October 7, numerous local and international media outlets have stationed themselves in the country to cover the clashes between Israeli forces and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants.

In a second strike on November 21, two journalists from Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen were reportedly killed near the border with Israel. Al Mayadeen blamed the IDF for their deaths.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 63 journalists have been killed during the Israel-Hamas fighting since October 7. Of these, 56 journalists are Palestinian, four are Israeli, and three are from Lebanon.

Newslaundry previously reported that the death toll surged after Israel resumed its bombing of Gaza last week following a seven-day humanitarian pause. Since December 1, at least five journalists have been killed. These journalists were dedicated to their work, striving to make global audiences aware of the horrors of war. They led lives beyond the camera, with diverse backgrounds and personal stories.

In conclusion, the Reuters report has shed light on the devastating incident that resulted in the death of journalist Issam Abdallah and the injuries sustained by other reporters in Lebanon. The evidence presented in the report strongly implicates Israeli forces in the attack, and it highlights a concerning pattern of targeting journalists. The international community awaits a clear explanation from Israel regarding these incidents, as the world mourns the loss of brave journalists who risked their lives to report on the conflict..