A Reuters video journalist named Issam Abdallah was killed and six other journalists were wounded on Friday, 13th October, in southern Lebanon when the area they were reporting from was struck by shelling according to the news agency Reuters. Two colleagues who spoke to the injured journalists in the hospital as well as an eyewitness also reported the incident.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 13, 2023
Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah was killed while working in southern Lebanon on Friday. Issam was part of a Reuters crew providing a live video signal https://t.co/r6BHxuSROn pic.twitter.com/DZLyIZAzbo
Al Araby TV cameraman Charbel Francis said that the attack occurred when he was capturing an artillery assault on a hill roughly 50 feet away from the other journalists.
The group of reporters, which included representatives from Al Jazeera and Agence France-Presse, were on assignment in Alma al-Shaab, close to the Israeli border and the scene of altercation between the Israeli military and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah. The instance was attributed to Israel by the Hezbollah lawmaker and the prime minister of Lebanon Najib Mikati.
An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by the Israel Defense Forces. Gilad Erdan, Israel’s representative to the United Nations stated in a briefing on the same day, “Obviously, we would never want to hit or kill or shoot any journalist that is doing its job. But you know, we’re in a state of war, things might happen.” He proclaimed that Israel would look into it.
Issam Abdallah reportedly died while delivering a live video signal to broadcasters. A powerful explosion rocked the camera filled the air with smoke and screams were heard as it was pointing at a hillside. The media network stated, “We are deeply saddened to learn that our videographer, Issam Abdallah, has been killed. We are urgently seeking more information, working with authorities in the region and supporting Issam’s family and colleagues.”
Issam Abdallah, a Reuters videographer was killed while working in southern Lebanon on Friday. Issam was part of a Reuters crew in southern Lebanon who was providing a live video signal https://t.co/WZT1GTFUYx pic.twitter.com/AKjjeg7qCU
— Reuters (@Reuters) October 13, 2023
Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh two other Reuters reporters were hurt in the incident and received medical attention before being released from a hospital. According to the latter, the deceased was hit by a missile while he was sitting on a low stone wall close to the rest of the group while Reuters and the other two news outlets were filming missile fire coming from the direction of Israel. A second rocket landed on the group’s vehicle moments later and ignited it.
Reuters was unable to confirm if Israel had in fact fired the missiles, despite the Associated Press and Al Jazeera reporting that the Jewish state was responsible. Two of Agence France-Presse’s journalists were injured, per the agency, but their names were not released.
Qatari media house Al Jazeera conveyed that two of its employees Elie Brakhya and reporter Carmen Joukhadar suffered injuries. It ascribed the attack to Israel and demanded that those responsible for “this criminal act” be held accountable. “The broadcast vehicle was bombed and completely burned despite the presence of our team close to/side by side with the rest of the international media crews in an agreed-upon location,” it alleged in a press release.
In a statement shared on social media, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a mission established in 1978 to monitor the border between Lebanon and Israel, alleged that a “heavy exchange of fire” erupted in the region at 5:20 PM. Multiple media outlets broadcasted live footage of what seemed to be an hour-long artillery campaign into Lebanese territory. It asserted, “The potential for this escalation to spiral out of control is clear, and it must be halted.”
This evening, at approximately 5:20 pm, a heavy exchange of fire erupted between Lebanon and Israel in the vicinity of Alma Shaab, Ayta Ash Shab', Al Dihaira, El Adeysse and Houla.
— UNIFIL (@UNIFIL_) October 13, 2023
Issam Abdallah, a Beirut-based video journalist, has covered significant events including the earthquakes that wreaked havoc in southern Turkey this year as well as wars in Syria and Ukraine. His many coworkers, friends and supporters paid tribute to him online and attended a vigil for him in Beirut.
