Investigation: Israeli army deliberately killed Lebanese journalist Khalil

A joint investigation by Lebanese legal organization Legal Agenda, alongside international monitors Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, has concluded that the Israeli military deliberately killed Lebanese journalist Khalil and a freelance photojournalist in southern Lebanon on April 22, 2026. The findings expose a calculated pattern of targeting civilians and weaponizing bureaucratic "deconfliction" mechanisms to prevent life-saving medical access.

The incident occurred in the village of al-Tiri, located in southern Lebanon's Israeli-occupied "security zone." Khalil, a 42-year-old reporter for al-Akhbar newspaper, and 21-year-old freelance photojournalist Zeinab Faraj were in the area to verify reports of Israeli troop movements. According to the timeline established by the investigators, the Israeli military first struck a vehicle carrying two local municipal officials at 2:25 PM.

After the journalists called the Lebanese civil defense for help, rescue crews were forced to wait at a military checkpoint for hours, awaiting approval from the Israeli military's so-called "deconfliction mechanism." While waiting, Israeli quadcopters circled dangerously low over the journalists, who were forced to abandon their vehicle and seek shelter in a nearby building. At 3:40 PM, an Israeli strike hit their car, severely injuring both women.

Despite their desperate calls for help, rescue crews were repeatedly denied entry. At 4:25 PM, the Israeli military launched a third strike, bombing the very building where the injured journalists were sheltering, burying them under rubble. The investigation highlights a systematic pattern of attacks on civilians and obstruction of humanitarian access, which the organizations say amounts to war crimes.

The report by Legal Agenda, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International added that the use of "deconfliction" mechanisms, which are supposed to coordinate humanitarian access, was deliberately manipulated to delay and prevent rescue operations, leading to the deaths of the journalists. The findings have been shared with international bodies, and the organizations are calling for accountability and an independent investigation into the incident.