NGOs Back Lebanon’s Push for Justice Against Journalist Killings as Global Toll Surges

NGOs Back Lebanon’s Push for Justice Against Journalist Killings as Global Toll Surges
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Human Rights Watch (HRW), Reporters Without Borders, and media rights groups have lauded Lebanon’s move to explore prosecuting Israel over an October-13-2023 strike that killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and wounded six others, including journalists from Al Jazeera and AFP. The Lebanese Ministry of Justice has initiated investigations into international legal options for redress.

More details in the following report:

Investigations by UNIFIL concluded that an Israeli Merkava tank fired two 120 mm rounds at a clearly marked group of journalists who had remained stationary for over an hour, and that no military target was nearby—leading HRW to assert the attack likely constituted a war crime. (Al Jazeera) UN Special Rapporteur Morris Tidball-Binz described the strike as “premeditated, targeted and double-tapped,” in violation of international humanitarian law, according to Al Jazeera.

The urgency of Lebanon’s move is underscored by rising journalist mortality in the broader conflict zone. According to CPJ, 13 journalists have already been murdered by Israeli actions in 2025 alone, up from 10 in all of 2024. (CPJ) Since the war began in October 2023, more than 190 journalists and media workers have been killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict, making it the deadliest conflict for the press on record. (CPJ) Separately, a recent Israeli airstrike in Yemen’s Sanaa killed 31 journalists and media workers, the second deadliest attack on press personnel ever recorded, as reported by CPJ and Washington Post.

In 2024, 124 journalists were killed globally—the highest annual figure ever recorded by CPJ—with nearly 70% reportedly killed by Israeli actions. Reuters and CPJ note that these figures highlight the extreme risk facing journalists in conflict zones, especially in the Middle East.

Press freedom advocates argue that Lebanon’s pursuit of legal recourse could set an important precedent. They emphasize that without accountability, impunity will persist and journalists remain vulnerable. In Lebanon’s case, the timing is crucial: the country now seeks to reclaim some measure of justice in a conflict environment that has seen repeated attacks on media personnel across multiple fronts.