Rights groups say Israeli attack that killed Lebanese journalist an apparent war crime
International Rights Organizations Demand War Crime Probe After Lebanese Reporter Killed by Israeli Strikes
Constantvpn.com – Two prominent human rights organizations have concluded that an Israeli military operation in southern Lebanon constitutes an apparent war crime after the attack resulted in the death of a Lebanese journalist and serious injury to a camera operator. The incident occurred in the town of al-Tiri on April 22, when al-Akhbar newspaper reporter Amal Khalil was killed and freelance camera operator Zeinab Faraj sustained severe wounds during what witnesses described as a prolonged bombardment.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both issued separate reports examining photographic and video documentation of the incident, along with firsthand accounts from Faraj, emergency responders, media coverage, and correspondence between the Lebanese Red Cross and Israeli military forces. Both organizations recommended that Lebanon formally accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to ensure a thorough examination of potential violations of international humanitarian law.
Timeline of the Attack Reveals Pattern of Targeting
According to Human Rights Watch’s reconstruction of events, the first Israeli strike struck a vehicle traveling ahead of the two female journalists at approximately 14:30 local time. The blast killed two men the journalists knew—Ali Bazzi and Mohammed al-Hourani. The impact forced Khalil and Faraj to abandon their car and take cover near a nearby structure. They contacted the Lebanese Red Cross for assistance, prompting the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (Unifil) to transmit a request to Israeli military command at 15:00 for access to the location to facilitate rescue operations.
A second strike between 15:21 and 15:42 hit the journalists’ parked vehicle, wounding Khalil. Both women then sheltered inside the building, which was subsequently destroyed by a third strike at approximately 16:25. Throughout the entire sequence, Israeli quadcopter drones maintained close surveillance of the women. Faraj described the experience to Amnesty International, noting that the drones approached within less than a meter, passing through broken sections of the roof. “I was covering my face, thinking of a video I had seen where a drone killed someone like that. I thought it would explode in my face,” she recounted. “The drones didn’t carry visible explosives, but they were hovering and provoking fear constantly.”
Rescue Efforts Interrupted by Continued Hostilities
Phone records obtained by the rights organizations demonstrated that Khalil maintained communication with first responders and family members throughout the escalating attacks. A Lebanese Red Cross team managed to reach the town after 17:00, but paramedics came under fire from a drone-launched stun grenade and were compelled to retreat without retrieving Khalil. Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that photographs reviewed by the organization showed damage to the Lebanese Red Cross ambulance consistent with small-arms fire.
A report from Tebnin Governmental Hospital indicated that Khalil was most likely still alive when medical personnel withdrew from the site at approximately 17:53. The medical documentation stated that Khalil died around 19:00 as a result of cardiac arrest, with a head injury causing severe bleeding. Her body was eventually recovered by rescue workers at approximately 23:00.
The Israeli military says it does not target journalists, but the facts and evidence show that it has repeatedly done so. Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj are the latest victims in a long series of such attacks.
The Israeli military maintained that the strikes killing Khalil and wounding Faraj were “part of a series of events” in which two Hezbollah operatives were also killed. Military spokespersons expressed regret for any harm caused to journalists and confirmed the incident was undergoing internal review. However, the military did not provide detailed responses regarding the specific purpose of the second and third strikes.
Implications for International Justice
Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International emphasized that evidence demonstrated Israeli forces “knew or should have known” that the women were civilians. Deliberate attacks on civilians remain prohibited under international humanitarian law. Heba Morayef, Amnesty’s Middle East director, stated: “There can be no justification for targeting civilians who sought shelter in search of safety.”
Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, noted that Israeli forces’ continued killing of journalists demonstrates “a brazen willingness to commit atrocities without any fear of consequences.” The Committee to Protect Journalists has documented that 27 journalists and media workers have been killed globally this year, including nine in Lebanon and seven in Israel, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza.
The incident has intensified calls for accountability in the region, where journalists covering the ongoing conflict have faced increasing risks. The demand for Lebanon to accept International Criminal Court jurisdiction represents a significant step toward potential prosecution of war crimes, as the court has authority to investigate crimes committed on the territory of member states or by nationals of member states. This case could establish important precedents regarding the protection of journalists during armed conflicts and the responsibility of military forces to distinguish between combatants and civilians in densely populated areas.
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