Israeli Tank Rounds Killed Journalist and Injured Others in Lebanon Attack

Accident – death – Obituary News : New Investigation Reveals Israeli Tank Rounds Responsible for October Attack in Southern Lebanon

Reuters and Agence France-Presse have recently conducted a comprehensive investigation into a tragic incident that occurred in southern Lebanon in October. The attack resulted in the death of a journalist and left six others injured. The two media organizations, with the assistance of external experts, meticulously analyzed video recordings, satellite images, witness testimony, and munitions fragments. Their findings strongly suggest that the group was targeted by Israeli tank rounds.

The incident took place on October 13 near the Lebanese border village of Alma al-Chaab. The journalists had assembled there to capture video footage of areas where clashes had erupted between the Israeli military and Palestinian fighters. Unfortunately, the journalists, who were clearly identifiable as press members by their flak jackets and helmets, were caught in the crossfire.

According to Reuters and AFP, the initial attack involved a tank round that struck the group, swiftly followed by a second round. Tragically, Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah lost his life, while two of his colleagues from Reuters and one from AFP were among the injured.

Expressing their condolences, Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni stated, “We condemn Issam’s killing and call on Israel to explain how this could have happened and to hold accountable those responsible for his death and the wounding of Christina Assi of the AFP, our colleagues Thaier Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh, and the three other journalists. Issam was a brilliant and passionate journalist, who was much loved at Reuters.”

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, the Israel Defense Forces international spokesman, emphasized that the Israeli military does not intentionally target journalists. However, both Reuters and AFP have called on Israel to provide a clear explanation of what transpired during the attack.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also conducted an independent investigation into the incident. According to HRW, the journalists were stationed at a considerable distance from the ongoing hostilities and were unmistakably identified as members of the media. They had been stationary for at least 75 minutes before being hit by two successive strikes. HRW found no evidence of a military target in close proximity to the journalists’ location. As a result, HRW concluded that the strikes were deliberate attacks on civilians, constituting a war crime.

Amnesty International undertook its own review of the attack, asserting that it was likely a direct assault on civilians and should be investigated as a war crime. Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, demanded accountability for the unlawful killing of Issam Abdallah and the injuries sustained by the six other journalists. Majzoub underscored that no journalist should ever be targeted or killed for simply carrying out their work. Therefore, an independent and impartial investigation into this fatal attack is imperative.

It is essential to emphasize that the information for this report was sourced from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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