Democratic senators demand credible investigation into 2023 attack that killed Reuters reporter Issam Abdallah and wounded six others, as IDF’s stance on inquiry appears contradictory.
WASHINGTON — Several Democratic U.S. lawmakers intensified pressure Thursday on Israel and the U.S. government to fully investigate a 2023 Israeli military strike in Lebanon that killed a Reuters journalist and wounded six other reporters, including an American citizen.
At a Capitol Hill news conference alongside injured AFP video journalist Dylan Collins, Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) accused the Israeli government of systematically obstructing accountability. “The IDF has made no effort, none, to seriously investigate this incident,” Welch stated, revealing that the Israeli military had informed his office its probe was closed—a claim that conflicts with earlier IDF communications to news agencies.
The October 13, 2023 strike, which hit a group of clearly identified journalists in southern Lebanon, killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and severely injured AFP photographer Christina Assi, who later underwent a leg amputation. Collins, an American citizen from Vermont, was among those wounded.
“We expect the Israeli government to conduct an investigation that meets international standards and to hold accountable those people who did this,” said Welch, who noted he has sought answers across two presidential administrations. He described Israel’s response as “stonewalled at every single turn.”
Collins called on Washington to formally acknowledge the attack and leverage its alliance with Israel. “I’d also like them to put pressure on their greatest ally in the Middle East… to bring the perpetrators to account,” he said. Lawmakers at the event labeled the strike a potential “war crime.”
Their demands follow multiple independent investigations—by AFP, Reuters, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and Reporters Without Borders—which concluded the strike was carried out with two 120mm tank shells fired from Israeli territory.
Contradicting Welch’s statement that Israel’s inquiry is closed, the IDF told AFP in October 2024 that “findings regarding the event have not yet been concluded.” This discrepancy raises further questions about the transparency and progress of the military’s internal review.
“We’re not letting it go,” said Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint. “It doesn’t matter how long they stonewall us.”
