CPJ demanded an international investigation after Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed under rubble, alleging blocked rescue efforts and possible violations of international humanitarian law.
WebDesk – MediaBites News – Courtesy: CPJ
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for an immediate international investigation into the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, saying the reported obstruction of rescue efforts by Israeli forces may amount to a war crime.
International watchdog CPJ said Khalil, a reporter for Beirut-based Arabic daily Al-Akhbar, was covering the aftermath of attacks in southern Lebanon when she and freelance photojournalist Zeinab Faraj took shelter inside a building after a nearby strike killed two civilians.
The building was later directly hit, trapping both journalists under rubble for several hours. CPJ said multiple credible reports indicated that continued shelling and direct fire at ambulances prevented emergency teams from reaching them in time.
According to colleagues who remained in contact with Khalil while she was trapped, she was alive and in stable condition after the first strike. Her body was later recovered when limited access was granted to Red Cross crews. Faraj remains critically injured.
“This is not the first time that Israel has prevented emergency services from reaching journalists injured in their strikes,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg. “Journalists are civilians and protected under international law.”
CPJ said deliberate denial of medical care to wounded civilians is considered a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and may constitute a war crime.
The organization also cited previous incidents, including the 2023 death of Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abu Daqqa in Gaza, where rescue teams were allegedly blocked from reaching injured journalists.
CPJ said 15 journalists and media workers have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli fire since October 7, 2023, adding that Khalil’s death occurred during a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that began on April 16.
CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah said continued impunity over killings of journalists in Gaza was fueling a similar pattern in Lebanon. She urged the international community to investigate immediately and hold those responsible accountable.
The watchdog noted there was no evidence Khalil or Faraj were participating in hostilities, stressing that journalists remain protected civilians under international humanitarian law regardless of the editorial stance of their media organizations.
