Transcript:
Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah was killed on Friday, October 13th, when a shell hit him while he was filming cross-border fire between Israel and Lebanon. Thaer Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh, 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. 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 Israel Defense Forces for clarity regarding the terms of engagement in this conflict.
I also ask Lebanon – which has said 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.
Media Contact:
Heather Carpenter
Heather.Carpenter @ tr.com