Three rights organisations say an Israeli strike in April that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj was a war crime, claims Israel denies.
Key facts
- Journalist Amal Khalil was killed and colleague Zeinab Faraj injured in an April Israeli strike in Lebanon.
- Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Legal Agenda say Israel deliberately attacked the two, apparently knowing they were civilians.
- HRW called for states to halt arms sales to Israel and impose targeted sanctions on responsible officials.
- Israel denied targeting the journalists.
- Al Jazeera reported the groups say rescuers were also obstructed.
An Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday, according to the Guardian.
Investigations by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda concluded that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians, the Guardian reported.
The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes. HRW went further, urging states to halt arms sales to Israel and to impose targeted sanctions on Israeli officials it holds responsible for ongoing crimes.
According to Al Jazeera, HRW and Amnesty said Israel seemingly targeted and killed the Lebanese journalist and obstructed rescuers.
Israel denied targeting the journalists, the BBC reported.
The claims centre on the April incident in which Khalil was killed and Faraj wounded, with the rights groups framing their findings as grounds for a formal war crimes investigation.
Why it matters
The killing of journalists in conflict raises serious questions about the protection of civilians and press freedom under international law. Calls from major rights groups for war crimes investigations, arms embargoes and sanctions could add pressure on Israel and the states that supply it.
Frequently asked questions
Who was killed in the strike?
Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed and her colleague Zeinab Faraj was injured in the Israeli strike in April, according to the sources.
Which organisations made the war crime claim?
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Legal Agenda said the strike was a war crime, based on their investigations.
How has Israel responded?
Israel denied targeting the journalists, according to the BBC.