News Desk
BEIRUT: Human Rights Watch has said an Israeli airstrike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and seriously wounded her camera operator, Zeinab Faraj, in southern Lebanon was deliberate and amounted to a war crime under international law.
According to the rights organisation, Khalil, who worked for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, was killed on April 22 while covering Israeli strikes in the southern Lebanese town of al-Tiri. Faraj was severely injured in the attack.
In its report, Human Rights Watch said evidence gathered from multiple sources indicated that the Israeli military knew journalists were inside the building that was targeted.
The organisation said available evidence included information and requests made by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It said these details raised serious concerns about the circumstances surrounding the strike and the treatment of those injured.
Human Rights Watch further said evidence indicated that Khalil survived for some time after the airstrike. However, Israeli forces allegedly prevented emergency teams from reaching the site, leaving her without timely medical assistance.
The organisation said the circumstances of the attack warranted classification as a war crime under international law, particularly given the reported knowledge that journalists were present at the location.
Khalil’s death has drawn renewed attention to the risks faced by journalists covering the conflict in southern Lebanon, where reporters and media workers have continued to work amid Israeli military operations and heightened security risks.
Human Rights Watch called for accountability over the attack and urged authorities to ensure an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the strike, including the reported presence of journalists at the targeted building and the alleged delay in providing emergency assistance.
The organisation’s findings add to broader concerns over the safety of journalists operating in conflict zones and the obligation of parties to armed conflicts to protect civilians and media workers under international humanitarian law.
#Lebanon #AmalKhalil #HumanRightsWatch #Israel #IsraeliAirstrike #LebanonConflict #WarCrimes #Journalists #PressFreedom #ZeinabFaraj #UNIFIL #InternationalLaw #MiddleEast #BreakingNews #WorldNews
