Reuters Chief Calls For Israel to Conduct ‘Swift, Thorough and Transparent Probe’ Into Killing Of Journalist

Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni released a short clip on Monday calling for the Israeli government to conduct a “swift, thorough and transparent probe” into the death of journalist Issam Abdallah.

Abdallah was killed on Friday when he and other journalists were hit by a shell in southern Lebanon that reportedly came from the direction of Israel.

“Two other Reuters journalists and colleagues from AFP and Al Jazeera were also injured in the shelling. Eyewitnesses at the scene said the shell that killed Issam came from Israel,” Galloni said, adding:

Our newsroom is reporting out the details of what happened. And so I am reiterating my call to the Israeli authorities who have said they are investigating to conduct a swift, thorough and transparent probe into what happened.

By transparent, I mean an investigation with clear evidence and explanation. And I also reiterate my call to the Israeli Defense Forces for clarity regarding the terms of engagement in this conflict. I also asked Lebanon, which has said that it has gathered evidence on the attack and any other authority with information to provide it. And I urge all parties in this conflict to respect and work with all media to ensure the safety of journalists reporting in the region. Issam was an experienced, talented and passionate journalist who was much loved by his colleagues here at Reuters.

He was just doing his job when he was killed, reporting on world events with accuracy, integrity, independence and freedom from bias is core to what we stand for at Reuters, and it is critically important for our journalists to be able to do so safely.

“Abdallah was nominated as Reuters Video Journalist of the year in 2020 for outstanding coverage of the Beirut port blast,” noted his Reuters obituary, which was published Monday, adding:

Whether he was reporting on the war against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or gunbattles on the streets in his native Lebanon, Abdallah excelled at telling the stories of people living through catastrophe, his colleagues recalled after his death on Friday.

Galloni repeated her call for “the IDF to respect and work with the media, including Reuters, to ensure the safety of all journalists reporting in the region.”