Lebanon's prime minister has accused Israel of war crimes after Israeli airstrikes killed one journalist and wounded another in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj were deliberately targeted as they sought shelter in a home after an initial airstrike hit the vehicle in front of them, killing two men, Lebanese officials say. The officials also accused the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of intentionally targeting a marked ambulance as it tried to reach the journalists in the village of Tayri.
The IDF denied that it was preventing rescue teams from reaching the area and said it did not target journalists. Journalists Khalil, 43, who worked for Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, and Faraj, a freelance photographer, were travelling together. The two men who died have not been named by officials.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated, Targeting journalists, obstructing access to them by relief teams, and even targeting their locations again after these teams arrive constitutes described war crimes. He accused Israel of repeatedly targeting media workers in southern Lebanon in what he described as an established approach.
Salam offered condolences to Khalil's family and announced that Lebanon would pursue the crimes before the competent international forums. In a statement, the IDF said it does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining the safety and security of its troops. The IDF claimed it identified vehicles that had departed from a military structure associated with Hezbollah, asserting that one vehicle posed an immediate threat to its troops.
The Lebanese health ministry indicated that the IDF had 'pursued' Khalil and Faraj, targeting the house where they had sought shelter after the initial raid. Reports suggest that when a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance arrived, Israeli forces directed a stun grenade and gunfire toward it, preventing it from reaching the injured journalists.
The situation has drawn sharp condemnation from organizations advocating for press freedoms. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed outrage over Khalil's death, calling the coordinated attacks a breach of international humanitarian law. Recent weeks have seen increased violence in the region, with several journalists reportedly targeted in similar strikes.
Al-Akhbar honored Khalil, stating she remained steadfast in her humanitarian and professional duty even under threat. The IDF's actions have escalated calls for accountability, with calls from international bodies demanding investigations into the targeting of journalists and aid workers in conflict areas.
The IDF denied that it was preventing rescue teams from reaching the area and said it did not target journalists. Journalists Khalil, 43, who worked for Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, and Faraj, a freelance photographer, were travelling together. The two men who died have not been named by officials.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated, Targeting journalists, obstructing access to them by relief teams, and even targeting their locations again after these teams arrive constitutes described war crimes. He accused Israel of repeatedly targeting media workers in southern Lebanon in what he described as an established approach.
Salam offered condolences to Khalil's family and announced that Lebanon would pursue the crimes before the competent international forums. In a statement, the IDF said it does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining the safety and security of its troops. The IDF claimed it identified vehicles that had departed from a military structure associated with Hezbollah, asserting that one vehicle posed an immediate threat to its troops.
The Lebanese health ministry indicated that the IDF had 'pursued' Khalil and Faraj, targeting the house where they had sought shelter after the initial raid. Reports suggest that when a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance arrived, Israeli forces directed a stun grenade and gunfire toward it, preventing it from reaching the injured journalists.
The situation has drawn sharp condemnation from organizations advocating for press freedoms. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed outrage over Khalil's death, calling the coordinated attacks a breach of international humanitarian law. Recent weeks have seen increased violence in the region, with several journalists reportedly targeted in similar strikes.
Al-Akhbar honored Khalil, stating she remained steadfast in her humanitarian and professional duty even under threat. The IDF's actions have escalated calls for accountability, with calls from international bodies demanding investigations into the targeting of journalists and aid workers in conflict areas.
