International community calls for probe into Israeli killings of Lebanese journalists

Three United Nations experts have called for an independent investigation into Israel’s recent killing of three journalists in Lebanon. The incident, which occurred on March 28, resulted in the deaths of Fatima Ftouni, a journalist for Al Mayadeen, her brother Mohamad Ftouni, and Ali Shoaib, a journalist for Al-Manar.

The UN special rapporteurs Irene Khan, Morris Tidball-Binz, and Ben Saul have stated that journalists carrying out their professional duties in armed conflict are civilians and should not be targeted. They also noted that the deliberate killing of journalists who are not directly participating in hostilities constitutes a serious violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.

The Israeli military has accused Shoaib of being a fighter with the Lebanese armed group, but this claim was rejected by his colleagues and the UN experts. The experts have emphasized that working for media outlets affiliated with an armed group does not necessarily mean journalists are directly participating in hostilities under international law.

This incident is part of a pattern of killings of journalists by Israel, which has been accused of targeting journalists without providing credible evidence. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Israel was responsible for two-thirds of all killings of journalists in 2024 and 2025. The CPJ has also warned that Lebanon is becoming an increasingly deadly zone for journalists.

At least 1,345 people have been killed and 4,040 wounded in intensified Israeli attacks across Lebanon since early March, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Source: Al Jazeera