Lebanon’s prime minister says Israeli targeting of journalists constitutes ‘war crimes’

- President Joseph Aoun says incident should prompt intervention by international community to put end to it

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Thursday that Israel’s targeting of journalists constitutes “war crimes,” condemning what he described as a systematic pattern of attacks in southern Lebanon.

Salam said that targeting journalists, obstructing rescue teams from reaching them and striking the same locations again after their arrival constitute “clear war crimes.”

He added that attacks on journalists in southern Lebanon while they are carrying out their professional duties are no longer isolated incidents but have become a “documented pattern” that violates international laws and norms.

“Lebanon will spare no effort in pursuing these crimes before the relevant international bodies,” he said.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Israel of deliberately targeting journalists in an attempt to conceal its hostilities in Lebanon.

A presidential statement said that the deliberate Israeli targeting of media workers is intended “to hide the reality of its aggressive acts against Lebanon.”

He described such actions as “crimes against humanity” punishable under international law and said they should prompt intervention by the international community to put an end to them.

Amal Khalil was killed Wednesday in an Israeli strike while on duty, the Red Cross said.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said Israeli forces besieged Khalil and fellow journalist Zeinab Faraj and prevented the Red Cross and the Lebanese army from reaching them.

Faraj was rescued with injuries and transferred to a hospital and is reportedly in stable condition after undergoing head surgery. She also reportedly suffered a fractured leg.

Over 2,200 people have been killed and more than 1 million displaced by expanded Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2, soon after the start of the Iran war.

Attacks have continued despite a 10-day US-mediated ceasefire agreed on April 16.​​​​​​​