Human Rights Watch says Israel killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in a war crime

Khalil worked as a journalist covering the conflict in Lebanon and was killed in an area where Israeli military operations were underway, according to Human Rights Watch. Her death has intensified criticism of Israeli tactics toward media workers operating in southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah have been reported for months.

The forensic findings, reviewed by Human Rights Watch, point to a delayed medical response. Kaiss said paramedics reached the vicinity of Khalil shortly after she was injured but were turned back before they could extract her. She died hours later from the internal injuries described in the report. Rights groups say such delays can themselves constitute violations of the laws of war when they affect wounded civilians.

Calls for accountability and investigation

Human Rights Watch called on Israel to carry out a transparent investigation into Khalil's killing and to hold those responsible accountable. The group said the forensic evidence, combined with witness accounts and the timeline of the failed medical evacuation, supports the conclusion that the killing was unlawful. Israeli authorities have not, according to the verified facts available, publicly acknowledged responsibility for Khalil's death.

The killing comes against the backdrop of a broader Israeli military campaign in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah, which has carried out strikes and rocket attacks since the start of the conflict. Press freedom organizations have repeatedly documented the deaths of journalists on both sides of the border, and several have demanded international mechanisms to protect media workers in the region.

Broader context of the conflict

Families of the victims in Lebanon have voiced anger at what they describe as a pattern of unchecked killings. Colleagues of Khalil have called for independent international investigators to be given access to the site where she was killed and to the medical personnel who attempted to reach her. Human Rights Watch said it would press for the matter to be referred to international accountability mechanisms.

The Beirut-based press community has organized vigils for Khalil, and international journalists' unions have issued statements condemning her death. The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders have both called on all parties to the conflict to respect the civilian status of media professionals and to refrain from targeting them.

Human Rights Watch urged the United Nations and foreign governments to demand accountability, including through potential sanctions and prosecution of those found responsible. The organization said Khalil's killing fits a documented pattern of attacks on journalists in Lebanon and Gaza, several of which have been the subject of earlier international inquiries.