Seven journalists from Reuters, Al Jazeera and AFP were on October 13 at Lebanon’s southern border with Israel.
They stood on top of an open ridge and documented hostilities between the Israeli army and the Islamist militia groups Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
So, right after 18.00, they were hit by two rocket attacks. The 37-year-old Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah lost his life, and six others were injured.
AFP journalist Christina Assi had to have a leg amputated as a result of her injuries.
According to two surveys, one from AFP and the independent organization Airwarsand one from the human rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW), the attack came from the Israeli army.
Erik Kroon from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research has contributed to the investigation on behalf of Reuters. Here he points to a map that will show the path of the attack on the journalists.
Photo: EMILIE MADI / Reuters
– Knew, or should have known
The investigation by HRW also shows that the attack was targeted.
– The evidence strongly indicates that Israeli forces knew, or should have known, that the group they attacked were journalists, says HRW investigator Ramzi Kaiss.
Amnesty International says the attack must now be investigated as a war crime.
Since October 7, 63 journalists have lost their lives in the war in the Middle East. 56 of them were Palestinian, 4 Israeli, and 3 Lebanese.
Erik Kroon from the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research shows the tail part of a tank grenade in The Hague after investigations.
Photo: EMILIE MADI / Reuters
The grenades used are only used by the Israeli army
The remains of a grenade are central to the AFP investigation.
The remains were found near Abdallah’s body, and all the experts agree that the type of grenade is only used by the Israeli Merkava tanks.
Among other things, the news agency has studied satellite images which show that Israeli tanks were operating in the area where the attack came from during this period, the Israeli village of Jordeikh.
Amnesty’s investigations show that all the journalists wore protective clothing clearly marked with “press”. Reuters’ blue car was marked with contrasting yellow tape that read “TV”.
Experts: – Highly unlikely with a bug
Several witnesses have also said that there was no military activity in the area where the journalists were.
The experts say it is highly unlikely that Israel, with its advanced intelligence capabilities, attacked the journalists by mistake.
Images show that a drone and an IDF helicopter flew low over the area before the attack.
The fact that there were two different rocket strikes also strengthens the theory that the attack was carried out on purpose, say the experts.
The IDF has denied that it carries out targeted attacks on journalists, but stated the day after the attack that it is sorry that the journalist was killed and that it is investigating the incident.
Erik Kroon shows a press vest that has been examined for explosive substances.
Photo: EMILIE MADI / Reuters
2023-12-07 09:33:35
#AFP #HRW #Attacks #journalists #Lebanon #Israel
