Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of committing a war crime after an Israeli drone strike killed Amal Khalil, a journalist with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, in southern Lebanon. The incident occurred near the town of Al-Tayri on Wednesday, amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Lebanese groups.
According to Lebanon’s Union of Journalists, Khalil, 43, bled to death beneath the rubble of a building destroyed in the strike after Israeli forces allegedly prevented ambulance crews from reaching her for nearly four hours. The union also reported that a fellow photojournalist, Zeinab Faraj, was wounded in the attack but survived.
The Lebanese Health Ministry described the attack as a “blatant double violation,” citing both the obstruction of rescue efforts and gunfire that targeted a Red Cross ambulance arriving on the scene. The ministry said Israeli forces fired stun grenades and bullets to prevent the ambulance from evacuating Khalil.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied preventing rescue teams from reaching the site and stated that it does not target journalists, asserting it aims to minimize harm to media workers while ensuring troop safety. The IDF said it targeted two vehicles that left a Hezbollah-associated military site and posed a threat to its forces. The journalists’ union, however, claimed the IDF later struck a building where Khalil and Faraj had taken shelter.
The killing comes as Israeli and Lebanese diplomats meet in Washington, D.C. to discuss a possible extension of a 10-day ceasefire that has seen violations from both Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The strike on Khalil intensifies concerns over the safety of journalists and civilians near the volatile Israel-Lebanon border.
Khalil was a veteran correspondent who had previously reported receiving threats linked to her coverage of the southern Lebanon region. Last year, she publicly stated that she had been warned to leave the area under threat of violence.
On Thursday, mourners in Baysariyah, Khalil’s hometown, carried her coffin draped in the Lebanese flag, with a blue flak jacket and helmet placed atop the casket as a symbol of her work and sacrifice.
Why it matters
The killing of Amal Khalil highlights the elevated risks journalists face covering conflicts in the Israel-Lebanon border region. The obstruction of medical aid and targeting of rescue personnel raise serious questions about compliance with international humanitarian law. This incident also comes during fragile ceasefire negotiations, underscoring persistent volatility between Israel and Lebanese factions, particularly Hezbollah.
Background
Since the outbreak of conflict following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have killed numerous media workers, mostly in Gaza according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. The IDF has previously labeled some journalists working for Hezbollah-affiliated outlets as militants. Lebanon’s southern border remains a flashpoint, with frequent Israeli strikes and retaliations by Hezbollah, complicating efforts to maintain ceasefires and protect civilians.
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