United States: The US Secretary of State, Mr. Antony Blinken, has urged Israel to end and make public the investigation into the artillery strikes in Lebanon that resulted in the death of a journalist and the injuries of six others.
Mr. Blinken said that an active investigation by Israel into the October 13, 2023 strike in southern Lebanon is “important and appropriate.”
“My understanding is that Israel has initiated such an investigation, and it will be important to see that investigation come to a conclusion and to see the results of the investigation,” Mr. Blinken stated in a news conference.
Additionally, the US top diplomat expressed his “extraordinary admiration” for journalists who cover dangerous stories across the globe.
Mr. Blinken’s remarks followed independent probes by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, Reuters, and AFP news agencies finding that the strikes in southern Lebanon on October 13, 2023, were carried out by an Israeli tank, as per the statement.
Although the Israeli military has stated that it is examining the facts surrounding the strikes, it has not yet made public the results of its inquiries. According to HRW’s report released, it seems that the attacks were planned and, thus, constitute a war crime.
“Witness accounts and video and photo evidence that Human Rights Watch verified indicate that the journalists were well removed from ongoing hostilities, clearly identifiable as members of the media, and had been stationary for at least 75 minutes before they were hit by two consecutive strikes,” the HRW observed.
Amnesty said its investigation showed that the Israeli military had likely carried out a “direct attack on civilians” and should be investigated for committing a potential war crime.
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