The human rights organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued serious allegations regarding an Israeli military attack in southern Lebanon late in April, stating that the incident could be characterised as a war crime. The report centres on the death of one journalist and serious injuries to another, with HRW finding indications that civilians were the target of the attack. According to the findings, the evidence indicates that the Israeli military targeted journalists on multiple occasions, a fact confirmed by Ramzi Kaiss, a researcher for the organisation.
Amal Khalil and Zainab Faraj are named as the latest victims in a series of attacks on media workers. On 20 April, Khalin was killed and Farin was seriously injured during an Israeli attack. Following a detailed review of video footage, witness statements and other evidence, HRW concluded that the Israeli military was aware, or should have been aware, that the two women were civilians. According to the report, three separate incidents occurred on the same day in the same area.
The first attack struck a vehicle moving ahead of the journalists' car, killing two people. Following this incident, the journalists' vehicle was hit, forcing the journalists to seek shelter in a nearby building. However, the building in which they had taken refuge was subsequently attacked, resulting in fatal injuries to the journalists.
HRW stated that the Israeli military had actively obstructed rescue efforts. According to the organisation, the Israeli military forced the Lebanese Red Cross medics to withdraw after a shock bomb was dropped on them from a drone. Witness statements further confirm that the ambulance was damaged in a shootout during the attempt to evacuate the injured.
In response to a query regarding an investigation into the incident, the Israeli military provided a brief response to HRW. According to the Israeli military, its preliminary investigation established that the journalist was killed during a series of events in which two fighters were also killed, an action it sought to justify as a military operation.
