Rights Groups Accuse Israel of War Crime Over Death of Lebanese Journalist Amal Khalil

International human rights organizations have accused Israel of committing a possible war crime following the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil during an airstrike in southern Lebanon.

In separate reports released on Thursday, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, and Lebanon-based rights organization The Legal Agenda concluded that the attack appeared to have deliberately targeted civilians and may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.

Khalil, a veteran reporter for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, was killed on April 22 in the town of al-Tiri, while photojournalist Zainab Faraj was seriously injured.

According to the investigations, the two journalists had sought shelter inside a building after abandoning their vehicle due to nearby airstrikes. The rights groups said the building was later struck despite efforts by the Lebanese Red Cross, coordinated through the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), to evacuate them.

Human Rights Watch stated that available evidence suggests Israeli forces either knew or should have known the women were civilians. The organization also alleged that Israeli drones monitored the journalists before the attack and that rescue workers were obstructed from reaching the victims after the strike.

Amnesty International similarly described the incident as a direct attack on civilians that should be investigated as a war crime.

The Israeli military has maintained that it targeted Hezbollah-linked sites and denied preventing emergency responders from accessing the area. It also said the incident underwent an internal review and expressed regret for any harm caused to journalists.

The killing has renewed international concern over the safety of journalists covering conflicts in the region. Rights groups are calling for independent investigations and greater accountability, arguing that attacks on media workers must not go unpunished.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), journalists have continued to face significant risks in both Lebanon and Gaza, with multiple media workers killed during the ongoing conflicts.

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