HRW, Amnesty and Legal Agenda declare Israeli strike on journalist a war crime

Herz — World Desk · 6 August 2026 at 06:52 · 30s summary · 3 min read

Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda — a Beirut-based NGO founded in 2009 that promotes the rule of law in Lebanon — concluded on August 6, 2026 that an Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil constitutes a war crime.

What we know

Khalil, 42, worked for Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar. Zeinab Faraj, 21, was a freelance photojournalist and videographer. Both had been covering the war in Lebanon for three years.

According to investigations by the three organizations, Israel deliberately and directly targeted the two women knowing they were civilians. They are calling for these attacks to be prosecuted as war crimes.

April 22, 2026: Timeline of strikes

Khalil and Faraj travelled to the village of al-Tiri in southern Lebanon, located within the 'security zone' claimed and occupied by Israel. They were following a vehicle carrying Ali Nabil Bazzi, a municipal official from Bint Jbeil, and Mohammed Hourani to verify information about an Israeli troop withdrawal.

1. 14:25
   First Israeli strike: Bazzi and Hourani are killed in their vehicle.
2. 15:31
   A member of the Lebanese civil defence calls Khalil urging her to flee.
3. Around 15:40
   An Israeli strike hits the journalists' vehicle, wounding Khalil and Faraj.
4. About two hours after first strike
   A second Israeli strike hits the building where the two women had taken shelter, collapsing it on them.
5. 17:00
   The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) provided a secure route, but Israel had not yet authorized rescue entry.

While the two women waited for rescue, Israeli drones flew within a metre of their faces, according to Faraj.