Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has accused Israel of committing a war crime following the death of journalist Amal Khalil in an Israeli drone strike. Khalil, a correspondent for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, died in the rubble of a building hit in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon's Union of Journalists claims ambulance crews were blocked from reaching Khalil for nearly four hours after the strike, contributing to her death. Photojournalist Zeinab Faraj was also wounded in the attack.
Prime Minister Salam stated that Israel's targeting of media workers is a "condemnable and rejected established approach." He added that Israel's forces prevented rescue efforts, firing a stun grenade and bullets at an ambulance.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deny preventing rescue teams from accessing the site. The IDF stated it targets vehicles that pose an immediate threat to its troops, not journalists, and takes measures to mitigate harm to them.
Khalil had previously claimed to have received an "Israeli death threat" in 2024. The incident has drawn condemnation from international press organizations.