Lebanon Condemns Israel for Killing Journalist in Airstrike, Brands Action a War Crime

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has accused Israel of committing war crimes following the death of journalist Amal Khalil, who was struck by an Israeli airstrike while on assignment in the country's southern region. The incident has reignited international debate over the protection of media personnel in conflict zones.

Khalil, a correspondent working for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, was killed on Wednesday while documenting events in the southern village of al-Tiri alongside freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, an Israeli strike targeted a vehicle traveling ahead of the journalists, forcing them to seek shelter in a nearby structure. That building subsequently came under attack as well.

Rescue personnel managed to reach Faraj, who sustained serious injuries, but were compelled to withdraw after coming under fire from Israeli forces. Khalil's body was retrieved from the debris several hours later. The incident prompted Reporters Without Borders to urge the international community to pressure Israel's military to enable rescue operations.

Lebanon Declares Targeting of Journalists Amounts to War Crime

Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Salam characterized the killing as part of a troubling pattern. "The deliberate targeting of media workers operating in the south during their professional activities is no longer a sporadic occurrence, but rather a systematic practice that we firmly condemn and reject," he stated via social media.

Salam further asserted: "Deliberately striking journalists, preventing humanitarian relief teams from accessing them, and launching additional attacks on their locations after rescue teams have arrived constitutes war crimes." He pledged that Lebanon would "pursue these crimes through all available international legal channels" and extended condolences to Khalil's family.

The Committee to Protect Journalists similarly expressed outrage over the apparent targeting of both media workers and cautioned that hampering rescue efforts "may constitute a war crime."

Israel has rejected allegations of deliberately targeting journalists and stated the incident remains under investigation. The Israeli military indicated that individuals in al-Tiri had breached the ceasefire agreement and posed a threat to its forces. Israeli authorities also denied obstructing rescue teams.

Ceasefire Negotiations Resume Amid Continued Tensions

A 10-day ceasefire intended to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on April 16. Nevertheless, both parties have continued sporadic military engagements in recent days.

Israeli and Lebanese officials were scheduled to convene in Washington on Thursday for a second round of ceasefire negotiations. The conflict between Israel and the Iran-aligned Hezbollah organization intensified in March following the broader Israel-Iran conflict.

Khalil, a native of southern Lebanon, had been documenting the escalating tensions between Israeli forces and the Hezbollah militant group. Her death marks the ninth journalist killed in Lebanon during the current year.