Israeli airstrike kills 3 journalists covering war in southern Lebanon

[0:00] And to examine that incident and also the challenges facing journalists reporting in [0:04] Lebanon and the larger Middle East right now, we turn to Sarah Kudda, the Committee to Protect [0:08] Journalists, Middle East and North Africa Regional Director. Sarah Kudda, thanks very much. Welcome [0:13] back to the NewsHour. One of the journalists killed in southern Lebanon was Ali Hassan Shoaib, [0:18] and the Israeli military released this statement, saying it had targeted him, but calling him, [0:24] quote, a terrorist in the intelligence unit of Hezbollah's Radwan force, accusing him of aiding [0:30] Hezbollah in various ways while working as a journalist, and in 2020, officially joining [0:34] Hezbollah's military wing. What can you tell us about him and Al-Munar, the outlet he worked for? [0:41] It is not a secret that Al-Munar TV is affiliated to Hezbollah and owned by Hezbollah. But that does [0:48] not make journalists who work with this media outlet or this TV station, [0:54] terrorists or in any way providing intelligence secrets. They are still civilians. IDF did not [1:04] provide any kind of evidence that Ali or the other two journalists are participating in any military [1:11] action. There is a key principle under international humanitarian law. Journalists are [1:16] considered civilians, and therefore they are protected from any kind of attacks, unless [1:23] they were killed. So, I think that's a key principle. I think that's a key principle. [1:24] They are, I think, the most important thing that I can tell you, and we have worked in the [1:27] над [1:39] situations as well. stained glass [1:49] IDF. [1:50] We saw it in Gaza since 2023, [1:53] where it laid siege to Syria in the copacabana, horse기가 walutu, said they were to obey panic. [1:54] They were killing journalists, and after they killed them, they sneered them, saying that [1:58] they are terrorists and they were part of Hamas or participating in military actions. [2:04] NICK SCHIFRIN We mentioned three journalists killed. [2:06] Another one was photojournalist Mohammad Fatuni. [2:09] The third journalist killed was Fatima Fatuni, that is, Mohammad's sister. [2:15] And the Israeli military does not say that it targeted her, saying instead, quote, the [2:20] IDF directs its strikes to target terrorists and not journalists, and is operating to mitigate [2:24] harm to civilians as much as possible. [2:27] Just three hours before Fatima Fatuni was killed, she recorded this video of herself. [2:35] And she posted this video in 2024 from the site of another airstrike that allegedly targeted [2:41] journalists, saying they were only armed with microphones and a press vest. [2:46] What do we know about her and how she died? [2:47] FATIMA FATUNI The killing of Fatima was a... [2:50] unfortunate. [2:51] And I think it was even more painful than the killing of Ali and her brother, Mohammad, [2:57] because Fatima survived the first strike. [3:00] And she tried... [3:01] Footages and videos do show that she tried to escape from the car after it was targeted, [3:07] but she was killed in another strike. [3:10] So saying that they did not try to target her or killed her, she survived the first [3:16] strike. [3:17] Why did they target her again after she was trying to escape? [3:18] NICK SCHIFRIN Why did they target her again after she was trying to escape? [3:19] FATIMA FATUNI Why did they target her again after she was trying to escape the car? [3:21] NICK SCHIFRIN Zoom out for us in Lebanon. [3:23] How dangerous has it been in Lebanon to report on this war since the war in Iran began and [3:31] since Hezbollah joined the war in Israel? [3:33] FATIMA FATUNI Journalists are facing several dangers, one of them coming from Israeli strikes, [3:39] but the other one is also from Hezbollah's obstruction and intimidation to journalists. [3:47] So far, we know of five journalists killed in Hezbollah. [3:48] NICK SCHIFRIN How many? [3:49] FATIMA FATUNI Four journalists killed in Lebanon. [3:52] Also at least four media outlets, buildings, they were destroyed by Israeli strikes. [3:58] On the other hand, Hezbollah is imposing severe restrictions on journalists. [4:04] They are being questioned, detained, their equipment are taken from them, searched, their [4:10] phones are searched, their cameras are searched. [4:13] NICK SCHIFRIN Let's zoom out here. [4:15] It has been one month exactly since this war began. [4:18] NICK SCHIFRIN Yes. [4:19] FATIMA FATUNI That Israel and the U.S. launched this war with Iran. [4:22] Let's go through the region. [4:23] How hard has it been, from what you can tell, for journalists to report, for example, from [4:28] the Gulf? [4:30] What restrictions are they facing, given Iran's repeated attempts to try and hit targets throughout [4:37] the Gulf? [4:38] FATIMA FATUNI Across the region, across the Gulf, we have repeatedly seen authorities [4:43] in Gulf countries, especially in Qatar and United Arab Emirates, where they imposed strict [4:48] restrictions. [4:49] They imposed strict restrictions on journalists, not to film or report on any kind of strikes [4:55] that are happening in the country, not just the military bases and the military protected [5:00] areas, but also strikes that are happening in civilian areas. [5:05] On the other hand, Iran, there is a nationwide internet blackout, day number 31 today, and [5:12] this is the longest in modern history where we see such an internet blackout in a country. [5:17] NICK SCHIFRIN That's right. [5:18] FATIMA FATUNI It's a blackout imposed on a country, which [5:22] really hinders the ability of journalists to report and to inform citizens and the world [5:28] about what is happening inside their country. [5:30] NICK SCHIFRIN And so what should we understand about the [5:33] images that are coming out of Iran? [5:35] What should we understand about who is being allowed to broadcast these images from Iran? [5:41] FATIMA FATUNI Some journalists were able to access the white [5:45] Internet through people that they know. [5:47] NICK SCHIFRIN Right. [5:48] FATIMA FATUNI And they were able to transfer some footages [5:52] and images. [5:53] But the vast majority of the reporting is happening through state-owned media, which [5:59] means that the country, the authorities, are controlling the narrative. [6:03] The same is happening in Israel. [6:05] It's not very different. [6:06] Journalists have been obstructed. [6:10] Journalists on live air were obstructed and asked to stop filming and to stop reporting [6:16] on what's happening. [6:17] NICK SCHIFRIN. [6:18] So I hope it helps your evaluation and the foundation of the Committee to Protect Journalists. [6:39] Thank you very much. [6:40] FATIMA FATUNI Thank you, Nick.