From Naharnet, Bambi learned that Ms. Amale Khalil’s body was “pulled from under the rubble hours after the attack” (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx). May her soul rest in peace… and may God know how to soothe the aching hearts among her family, colleagues, friends, and fellow citizens in those tragic moments.
What makes things even more terrible is how this tragedy seems to have unfolded (details below, according to the same Naharnet article, https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx). But, first and as per L’Orient Today, Ms. Khalil, who worked for a media called Al Akhbar, seems to have “received death threats” in 2024, during her coverage of the war, “urging her to leave southern Lebanon” (https://tinyurl.com/2dmzy46t).
Of note, Bambi consulted the Times of Israel, which reported the sad news in a title that acknowledges the act of the Israeli army with the following words: “Body of journalist for pro-Hezbollah paper pulled from rubble of building hit by IDF” (https://tinyurl.com/kz7w4hev). Note the “pro-Hezbollah” in the title, as if this makes any difference in this tragedy, minimizes it, and/or justifies it.
Once again, and at least thus far (without any investigation yet), Israel seems to not want to have any journalist reporting on what is unfolding in Lebanon from entire village destruction to other war activities. It also seems to be missing the whole point about freedom of press and of freedom of expression. Thankfully, this remains a precious value worth being defended by the Lebanese “Information Minister Paul Morcos” who also confirmed Khalil’s death and condemned it. Khalil had been covering the Israel-Hezbollah war since it started in October 2023 and had been reporting from different parts of southern Lebanon on the hostilities” (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx).
Furthermore, also according to Naharnet, “earlier on Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, called on the international community to immediately pressure the Israeli army to allow the rescue of Khalil. “Her life is in danger right now! Continued Israeli airstrikes are preventing rescuers from reaching her,” RSF said” (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx).
In addition, as further reported by Naharnet, the Lebanese “President Joseph Aoun had called on the Lebanese Red Cross to work on the rescue of Khalil prior to her death’s confirmation. Aoun had requested the Lebanese Red Cross to coordinate with the Lebanese army and U.N. peacekeepers “to carry out the rescue operation in the shortest possible time” (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx).
Last but not least, “The Red Cross had earlier evacuated Ms. Zeinab Faraj, another freelance journalist, who was injured in the same attack, along with the bodies of two people who were in a car that was also targeted in the location” (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx). One these people is the Mayor of a village and another citizen. May their souls rest in peace and may they be eternally remembered in heaven. As for Ms. Faraj, shown below, Bambi will surely pray for her recovery, in her heart, before closing her eyes to sleep in a few moments.
Related to today’s tragedy, Bambi was deeply disturbed when she learned that “Israel fired a stun grenade at the Red Cross team, forcing it to withdraw from al-Tiri“, a village in South Lebanon (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx). Sadly, this shocking fact is not a first during this harsh war between Israel and Hezbollah. Indeed, Bambi has an older post devoted to the Lebanese Red Cross, shown further below.
Last but not least, the Israeli army confirmed the strikes of a vehicle and a building. However, its stated justification, at least thus far, is that it did so “after identifying what it described as militants posing an immediate threat near the border“. According to Naharnet, “the Israeli army said it was aware of reports that journalists were injured but did not confirm them and denied preventing rescue teams from reaching the area. The details of the incident are under review, it added” (https://tinyurl.com/3bxw9pnx).
To conclude this post on a musical note, Mr. Johnny Hallyday’s song “Ne tuez pas la liberté [“Do Not Kill Freedom”] is what comes to Bambi’s mind. For your convenience, dear readers, you can find an English translation of the powerful lyrics at this link (https://tinyurl.com/392aybn9).
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