Two prominent human rights organizations have stated that an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon on April 22, which resulted in the death of al-Akhbar newspaper reporter Amal Khalil and serious injury to freelance camera operator Zeinab Faraj, constitutes an apparent war crime. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International concluded that the journalists were deliberately targeted while covering events in the town of al-Tiri.
These groups are urging for an independent investigation into the incident and have suggested that Lebanon accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. The Israeli military has denied targeting the journalists, asserting that its forces conducted three strikes aimed at two operatives of the Hezbollah armed group.
"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," said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The rights organizations based their conclusions on reviews of photo and video evidence, witness testimony from Faraj, accounts from first responders, media reports, and communications between the Lebanese Red Cross and the Israeli military.
According to HRW's reconstruction, the initial Israeli strike hit a vehicle in front of Khalil and Faraj, killing two individuals. This strike forced the journalists to abandon their car and seek shelter. They contacted the Lebanese Red Cross for assistance, and the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (Unifil) relayed a request for access to the site for rescue.
A second strike hit the journalists' parked car, injuring Khalil. She and Faraj then took refuge in a nearby building, which was subsequently destroyed by a third strike. Israeli quadcopter drones were reportedly observed monitoring the journalists throughout the attack. Faraj described the drones hovering very close, causing fear and distress.
Phone records indicated that Khalil remained in contact with emergency responders and family members during the ongoing attacks. A Lebanese Red Cross team attempted a rescue after 17:00 but came under fire from a drone-delivered stun grenade, forcing them to retreat without recovering Khalil. Witnesses reported that the ambulance also sustained damage consistent with small-arms fire.
Records from Tebnin Governmental Hospital suggest Khalil was likely alive when paramedics withdrew. She died around 19:00 from cardiac arrest and a severe head injury. Her body was recovered by rescue workers around 23:00.
The Israeli military stated that the strikes were part of operations in which two Hezbollah operatives were killed and expressed regret for any harm to journalists. While an internal review is reportedly underway, the military did not provide further details on the purpose of the second and third strikes.
Both HRW and Amnesty International contend that evidence indicates Israeli forces knew or should have known that Khalil and Faraj were civilians. International humanitarian law prohibits deliberate attacks on civilians. Amnesty stated, "There can be no justification for targeting civilians who sought shelter in search of safety."
The Committee to Protect Journalists has reported that 27 journalists and media workers have been killed in the current year, with nine in Lebanon and seven in Israel, the occupied West Bank, and Gaza.