Israel-Palestine Tensions: Lebanon Attack Claims 3 Journalist Lives

Jerusalem's Lebanon Strike Claims 3 Journalist Lives

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation...

Israeli airstrike kills 3 journalists in Lebanon, sparking outrage. Al Mayadeen TV and Al Manar TV staff targeted in deliberate attack.

An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Friday, October 25, tragically killed at least three journalists. The victims were asleep in their accommodations when the strike occurred.

The journalists were stationed in the region to cover ongoing developments. Their untimely deaths serve as a stark reminder of the risks media professionals face while reporting from conflict zones.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, highlighting the need for increased protection and safety measures for journalists in war-torn areas.

 

The victims were identified as Ghassan Najjar, a cameraman, and Mohamed Reda, a broadcast engineer, both employed by Al-Mayadeen TV, and Wissam Qassim, a camera operator for Al-Manar TV, affiliated with Hezbollah.

The strike targeted a compound in Hasbaiyya, Lebanon, housing multiple journalists, despite being located in an area not directly involved in the ongoing conflict between the Israeli military and Hezbollah. Reporters on-site reported that the bungalow where the men were resting was specifically targeted, leaving many in shock and outrage.

Lebanon's Information Minister, Ziad Makary, strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “a war crime” and “an assassination, after monitoring and tracking, with prior planning and design.” Makary emphasized that 18 journalists from seven media institutions were present at the location, highlighting the deliberate nature of the attack.

Victims of the Airstrike:

• Ghassan Najjar, cameraman for Al-Mayadeen TV
• Mohamed Reda, broadcast engineer for Al-Mayadeen TV
• Wissam Qassim, camera operator for Al-Manar TV

“This is an assassination, after monitoring and tracking, with premeditation and planning, as there were 18 journalists present at the location representing seven media institutions,” he wrote on social media platform X.

The international community, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, has expressed outrage and called for an independent investigation into the attack. This incident underscores the risks journalists face while reporting from conflict zones and the need for increased protection and safety measures.

Ghassan bin Jiddo, director of a Lebanese TV station, strongly condemned Israel's recent attack on a journalist's residence, calling it a “deliberate” and “war crime”. He emphasized that not only were Al Mayadeen journalists targeted, but other Arab channels also suffered injuries. Bin Jiddo held Israel fully responsible for the attack, which is part of a larger pattern of violence against journalists in the region.

The recent attack follows a disturbing trend of targeting journalists. Just a day prior, an Israeli strike hit a Lebanese TV station office in Beirut, resulting in one death and five injuries. In November 2023, two Al Mayadeen TV journalists lost their lives in a drone strike. The previous month, Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon claimed the life of Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and injured journalists from AFP and Al Jazeera.

These incidents underscore the extraordinary risks journalists face while reporting on conflicts in Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon. The international community has expressed outrage, with organizations like the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders calling for investigations and accountability.

Recent Attacks on Journalists:

October 2023: Israeli shelling killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and injured journalists from AFP and Al Jazeera.

November 2023: Two Al Mayadeen TV journalists died in a drone strike.

October 25, 2024: Israeli strike on a Lebanese TV station office in Beirut resulted in one death and five injuries.

The situation highlights the need for increased protection and safety measures for journalists reporting from conflict zones.