Overview
- At a Capitol news conference, Senator Peter Welch and other Democrats, joined by wounded American journalist Dylan Collins, accused Israeli authorities of stonewalling requests for a credible inquiry.
- Welch said Israeli officials told his office the probe was closed, while the military told AFP in October—and told Reuters this week—that the event is still being examined.
- The October 13, 2023 attack involved two tank shells fired 37 seconds apart, killing Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and injuring six others, including AFP’s Christina Assi, who later lost her leg.
- AFP’s findings that two 120mm rounds were fired from inside Israel near Jordeikh were corroborated by probes from Reuters, CPJ, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders.
- Collins urged Washington to publicly acknowledge that a U.S. citizen was wounded and to press Israel for accountability, as Senator Chris Van Hollen cited a broader pattern of impunity in attacks on journalists.