On October 13, 2023, a car used by Al Jazeera journalists was burned following an Israeli strike that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded six others in Lebanon. According to a Reuters investigation, the incident occurred while the journalists were filming cross-border shelling. The two strikes killed Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah and severely wounded Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Christina Assi.
To piece together a detailed account of the incident, Reuters spoke to over 30 government officials, security officials, military experts, forensic investigators, lawyers, medics, and witnesses. They also reviewed hours of video footage and hundreds of photos from various media outlets in the area. In addition, they gathered physical evidence from the scene, including shrapnel and equipment.
The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), an independent research institute, examined the material and found that the large piece of metal was the tail fin of a tank round fired by an Israeli tank positioned 1.34 km away from the journalists. Reuters presented its findings to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), who denied intentionally targeting journalists.
Both AFP and Al Jazeera expressed their condemnation of the attack and called on Israel to explain and hold those responsible accountable. International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on journalists, as they are considered civilians and cannot be targeted. However, neither Israel nor Lebanon are signatories to the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes war crimes.
This incident was the first of two deadly strikes on reporters in Lebanon within six weeks. The second strike occurred on November 21 and resulted in the deaths of two journalists from Lebanese broadcaster Al Mayadeen. The Israeli military claimed the area was dangerous due to active hostilities.
The investigation into these attacks highlights the importance of protecting journalists and upholding international humanitarian law. The media community and human rights organizations are calling for accountability and a clear explanation from Israel regarding the incidents.
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