Translated Content:
Amid the joy of southern Lebanese residents returning to their villages, the Israeli occupation army opened fire on a group of photojournalists today at noon in the southern town of Khiam, where it still maintains a presence in parts of the town. Freelance photographer Mohammad al-Zaatari, who contributes to the Associated Press and other media outlets, was seriously wounded by three bullets, one in his left hand and two in his right leg. He was initially taken to Ragheb Harb Hospital in Nabatieh and then transferred to Ghassan Hammoud Hospital in Sidon. Sputnik photographer Abdel Qader al-Bay was also wounded by shrapnel in his right leg and was taken to al-Najda al-Shaabiya Hospital in Nabatieh for treatment. Photojournalist Ali Hashisho, who contributes to several news agencies, was wounded by shrapnel in his lip.
The three photographers had begun documenting the return of residents to their villages since early morning. Upon reaching Nabatieh, they learned that residents had started entering the town of Khiam. "We decided to accompany them there because of Khiam's special symbolic significance and because the town had witnessed fierce battles between the enemy and resistance fighters in recent days," Al-Bay explained.
In a phone interview with Al-Mufakkira, Al-Bay added that upon reaching the entrance to Khiam, Lebanese army personnel asked them to proceed on foot. They got out of their car and began walking through the town's neighborhoods and streets, documenting the destruction and devastation. Residents were in the town at that time. Al-Bay continued, saying that when they reached the town square, they spotted remnants of equipment, bags, bullet casings, and tank tracks on the ground. They began hearing voices, which they believed to be Israeli soldiers, coming from one of the buildings. As soon as Al-Bay raised his camera to take a picture, bullets began raining down on them, wounding them. He continued, saying that they tried to stay as far away from the soldiers as possible, until a local resident who was checking on his house managed to take them to Marjeyoun Hospital, where they received first aid before each was transferred to a hospital for further treatment.
Al-Bay said, “The enemy wanted to target us because we are journalists, because they don’t want any of us to document their defeat and their hiding in houses.” He added, “Since the beginning of the war, the enemy has disregarded all international conventions and continues to violate them until the very last moment.”
[Video Player: Video documenting the moment Israeli soldiers opened fire on photojournalists]
The Israeli army killed six journalists and media collaborators while they were performing their duties during its aggression against Lebanon, which began in October of last year. Among them was photojournalist Issam Abdullah, who was killed in a direct attack on a group of journalists on October 13, 2023, in an Israeli airstrike on Alma al-Shaab. Six other journalists were also wounded in the same attack. The Israeli army also targeted the Al-Mayadeen team, consisting of reporter Farah Omar, cameraman Rabih Maamari, and journalist Hussein Aqil, live on November 21, 2023, just minutes after they finished a live broadcast, resulting in their deaths. More recently, cameraman Ghassan Najjar and broadcast engineer Mohammad Reda, both from Al-Mayadeen, and cameraman Wissam Qassem from Al-Manar, were killed in an Israeli attack on the journalists' residence in Hasbaya on October 25, which also injured two other cameramen.
The assassination of journalists is considered a war crime, as international humanitarian law prohibits targeting civilians and designating them as legitimate targets in combat operations. Journalists carrying out dangerous professional duties in areas of armed conflict are considered civilians and must be protected as such, provided they do not engage in any activity that compromises their civilian status. They do not lose this legal protection by supporting a party to the conflict or even by contributing to the overall war effort.
The death toll from the Israeli aggression against Lebanon since October 2023 has reached 3,853 martyrs and 15,878 wounded, according to statistics from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
On October 23, 2023, Israel destroyed one of the offices of Al-Mayadeen TV, located in an apartment within a residential building in the Jnah area of Beirut. Journalists in Lebanon have also been targeted in other incidents, including one on November 25, 2023, when the Israeli army fired shots into the air to intimidate a team from NBN TV on the Khiam road opposite the Metula settlement on the border with Palestine. The team was touring some areas of the eastern sector of southern Lebanon, and the aim was to stop them from broadcasting live. None of the three-person media team were injured.
On November 13, Israeli rockets struck a group of journalists in the town of Yaroun, near the vehicles of Al Jazeera and Al Jadeed television stations. Al Jazeera cameraman Issam Mawasi sustained a minor leg injury, and the Al Jazeera crew's vehicle was reported to be the most damaged. Rockets also landed near the location of an NBN television crew and Al Akhbar newspaper correspondent Amal Khalil.