Women Journalists Without Chains expresses its gravest condemnation of the continued and systematic targeting of media professionals and healthcare workers in Lebanon by Israeli occupation forces.

These actions represent a flagrant violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and a direct assault on the mechanisms designed to protect civilians and the truth during armed conflict.

Chronicle of Recent Violations

In a disturbing escalation over the past 48 hours, Israeli occupation forces have repeatedly targeted those on the frontlines of reporting and rescue:

• May 7, 2024: Israeli warplanes targeted a civilian vehicle in Toul, Southern Lebanon. While attempting to report from the scene and assist the wounded, journalist Rana Jouni and several paramedics were encircled by heavy fire, resulting in multiple injuries.
• May 8, 2024: A targeted airstrike in Nabatieh claimed the life of a paramedic. Simultaneously, in the Marjayoun district, an Israeli strike directly hit a rescue team, killing a medic from the Health Authority and wounding another.

These are not isolated incidents. We recall with heavy hearts the deaths of journalists Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj, killed in the line of duty in Tayri on April 22.

A Systematic Campaign of Violence

The sheer scale of the casualties indicates a deliberate policy of targeting the "First Responders" of truth and health. According to data verified by the WHO and Lebanon’s Ministry of Health:

The rising toll reflects a dire humanitarian reality where the vests of journalists and the uniforms of medics no longer provide the protection mandated by international law, but instead seem to serve as targets.

Legal Framework and Intent

Women Journalists Without Chains asserts that these crimes are calculated to achieve two primary objectives:

1.    Silencing the Witness: By targeting journalists, the goal is to obscure the reality of the conflict and prevent the documentation of potential war crimes.

2.    Paralyzing Survival: Targeting medics obstructs life-saving aid, effectively weaponizing the denial of medical care.

These actions constitute a "grave breach" of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol I. Specifically, Customary IHL Rule 29 and Article 35 of the First Convention demand the protection of medical transports at all times. Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, intentionally directing attacks against personnel and vehicles involved in humanitarian assistance or reporting is a War Crime.

Urgent Demands

Women Journalists Without Chains calls upon the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to:

• Launch Immediate Investigations: Open independent, transparent, and credible probes into the targeting of Rana Jouni and the killing of medical personnel.
• End Impunity: Hold military and political commanders accountable to prevent the normalization of attacks on protected persons.
• Enforce Protection: Take concrete measures to ensure that journalists and humanitarian workers can operate safely without fear of targeted assassination.

The organization stands in unwavering solidarity with our colleagues in the field. The world has a right to the truth, and the wounded have a right to care. Neither should be a death sentence.