Reuters presents research
Journalist died from tank bullets, Israel under pressure to explain
December 7th, 2023, 8:45 p.m
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A few days after the massacre by Hamas terrorists in Israel, a group of journalists were traveling in Lebanon – and came under fire there. One journalist dies, others are injured. Research now shows that an Israeli bullet was responsible for the death.
According to research by the news agencies Reuters and AFP, Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah died on October 13 in southern Lebanon from an Israeli tank bullet. According to the research, an Israeli tank crew fired twice in quick succession. The projectiles exploded near a group of journalists 37 seconds apart. Human rights organizations speak of a possible war crime and demand that Israel investigate.
Reuters spoke to more than 30 government officials, security officials, military experts, forensic investigators, lawyers, medics and witnesses for its research. Many hours of video material from eight different media as well as hundreds of photos were evaluated, including high-resolution satellite images.
The 37-year-old video reporter Abdallah was killed in the attack, while six other journalists were injured, some seriously – two Reuters employees, a photographer from the French news agency AFP and her video colleague, and two employees from the Al-Jazeera television station. AFP photographer Christina Assi had to have her right leg amputated and, according to the agency, she is still in hospital.
Reuters demands explanation from Israel
All seven reporters wore blue body armor and helmets, and most had “PRESS” written on them in white letters. They came under fire just over a kilometer from the Israeli border, near the Lebanese village of Alma al-Shaab. Journalists from at least seven other media outlets were also working nearby. The reporters wanted to report on the armed clashes in the border area that occurred after the radical Islamic Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th.
The independent Dutch institute TNO, which tests and analyzes ammunition and weapons for customers such as the Dutch Ministry of Defense, examined ammunition fragments in its laboratories in The Hague. Accordingly, 120 millimeter tank ammunition was used, as used by the Israeli army. “The evidence we now have and that we published today shows that an Israeli tank crew killed our colleague Issam Abdallah,” said Reuters editor-in-chief Alessandra Galloni. “We condemn Issam’s murder. We call on Israel to explain how this could have happened.” Those responsible should be held accountable. “Issam was a brilliant and passionate journalist who was very popular at Reuters,” Galloni added.
The AFP said evidence compiled by Reuters confirmed its own investigation. The attack on a group of journalists who could be clearly identified as members of the media was “inexplicable” and “unacceptable,” said AFP information director Phil Chetwynd.
The organization “Reporters Without Borders” (RSF) had already announced at the end of October, citing its own analysis, that Abdallah’s death had been caused by a targeted attack from the direction of the Israeli border. RSF also had their report Video with original recordings attached from on site.
“Don’t target journalists”
“We are not targeting civilians,” Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said in a televised news conference when asked about the results of the investigation. “We have done everything possible to take civilians out of the line of fire.” The armed forces (IDF) had previously made similar statements. “We do not target journalists,” said IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht.
Lebanon said it would forward the reports to the United Nations Security Council as part of its complaint. “Israel’s criminality knows no boundaries,” said Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s office. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office in Berlin said that a free and diverse press is a cornerstone of democracy. “The protection of journalists must be guaranteed at all times. Incidents in which journalists are injured or killed must be fully investigated. This also applies in this case.”
Direct shelling of civilians or civilian objects is strictly prohibited under the Geneva Convention of 1949, which was ratified by all UN member states. The human rights organization Human Rights Watch said it was an “obviously deliberate attack on civilians and therefore a war crime.” “Direct attacks on civilians and indiscriminate attacks are absolutely prohibited under international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes,” said Aya Majzoub of Amnesty International. “Israel must not allow journalists to be killed and attacked with impunity. There must be an independent and impartial investigation into this deadly attack.”