Reuters Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni issued the following statement this morning, marking the anniversary of the killing of Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah in Lebanon and reiterating demands for transparency and accountability from the Israeli government:
On October 13, 2023, Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah was killed in southern Lebanon by Israeli tank fire. The attack also wounded six other journalists, including Christina Assi of the AFP and our colleagues Thaier Al-Sudani and Maher Nazeh.
On the third anniversary of his death, we remember Issam as a talented and passionate journalist, and a beloved colleague who is deeply missed by everyone at Reuters. We condemn his killing and reiterate our demands for transparency and accountability from the Israeli government.
Despite repeated requests for an explanation of how this strike on clearly identifiable journalists happened, the only update we have received from the IDF is that the incident is still under review. We also have unanswered questions about the death of our colleague Hussam al-Masri in Israeli strikes on Nasser Hospital in Gaza on August 25, 2025.
Journalists perform a vital public service in relaying events to the world, often at great risk to their personal safety, and it is essential that governments take all necessary actions to protect them as they go about their jobs. This includes swiftly and openly explaining the circumstances when journalists lose their lives during conflicts.
We will continue to seek answers, as we do with each Reuters journalist killed in the line of duty. And once again, we call upon the Israeli government to provide a clear explanation of what happened, and to hold to account those responsible.
