A coalition of Democratic legislators has joined forces with leading human rights organizations to demand a full and independent investigation into the October 2023 attack on journalists near the Israel-Lebanon border. The incident, which resulted in the death of Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah and injured six others from Reuters, Al Jazeera, and AFP, represents what advocates call the first alleged targeting of media personnel following the October 7th hostilities.
Eyewitness accounts and multiple independent investigations indicate that the group of clearly identifiable journalists had been stationary for over an hour before being struck by two separate projectiles originating from Israeli military positions. AFP journalist Dylan Collins, a U.S. citizen who sustained shrapnel wounds in the attack, described his frustrating two-year quest for accountability from both the Biden and Trump administrations, met with what he characterized as ‘deafening silence.’
Senator Peter Welch of Vermont revealed that dozens of Congress members have repeatedly sought answers through official channels, sending multiple letters to the State Department that have gone unanswered. The lawmakers seek three specific disclosures: which Israeli military unit fired upon the journalists, whether Israel conducted any internal investigation, and if U.S. officials ever discussed the incident with their Israeli counterparts.
The call for investigation follows a February 2024 United Nations inquiry that determined an Israeli tank fired two 120mm shells at the ‘clearly identifiable journalists’ in violation of international law. The UNIFIL report noted no cross-border hostilities occurred for over 40 minutes preceding the attack and recommended Israel conduct a full investigation and share its findings—actions that have not been taken.
Separate investigations by Reuters, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International published in December 2024 reached similar conclusions, with Amnesty characterizing the strikes as ‘likely a direct attack on civilians that must be investigated as a war crime.’ Forensic analysis suggests the journalists were visible to Israeli surveillance systems, including nearby drones and observation towers, when targeted by precision munitions fired from approximately 1.5 kilometers away.
The incident has taken on broader significance as more than 260 media professionals have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, raising concerns about the protection of journalists in conflict zones and the accountability mechanisms for investigating such incidents.