Israeli tank killed Reuters journalist, investigation finds

After receiving a fierce backlash for concealing the details of the death of its own reporter near the Lebanese border in October, Reuters had launched an investigation into the matter.

The agency said it spoke to more than 30 government and security officials, forensics and weapons experts, concluding that an Israeli tank fired on and killed its video journalist, Issam Abdallah, and that Israeli forces either knew or should have known they were targeting journalists.

According to the report, the news teams from AFP, Al Jazeera and Reuters were stationed over half a mile from the border, where Israel and Hezbollah were trading fire. All were wearing blue jackets and helmets, most of which were clearly marked ‘PRESS’, with an Israeli helicopter hovering above them. The investigation found no evidence of military targets near the journalists.

After 45 minutes of filming, the camera focused on an Israeli outpost firing into Lebanon. Less than 90 seconds later the first tank round hit the team, killing Abdullah instantly and injuring the AFP photographer, who had her leg amputated as a result. The second round came 37 seconds later, setting Al Jazeera’s car on fire.

The IDF has reportedly been investigating the incident since October, but has yet to issue any findings. Responding to the evidence presented by Reuters, the IDF spokesperson said, ‘We don’t target journalists.’

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