A report conducted by Reuters and the French press agency regarding the martyrdom of journalist and photojournalist Essam Abdullah, along with the injury of several other journalists and photographers due to Israeli shelling targeting a group of journalists in the town of Alma Al-Shaab in southern Lebanon on October 13, is expected to be released in the coming days. According to preliminary information, the Reuters report indicates that the journalists were targeted by two missiles launched from a Merkava tank "from within Israeli territory" (the occupied Lebanese territories).
Following Abdullah's death, Reuters, in its initial statement, refrained from mentioning the perpetrator, namely Israel, or even referring to the shelling. However, it modified the wording of the news after facing a wide wave of criticism. Nonetheless, the newly revised headline remained vague and distant from the reports circulated by other global media, including the Associated Press and CNN. Reuters updated its headline to state: "Reuters TV cameraman killed in southern Lebanon by missile fire from Israel," focusing solely on the geographical origin of the lethal missiles.
In an effort to mitigate the criticisms, Reuters published a detailed report about its cameraman Abdullah and the reports he prepared and executed. Yesterday, Minister of Information Ziad Makari announced that he had briefed Prime Minister Najib Mikati on the investigations being conducted by Reuters and the French press agency, and that something clear would be issued soon in this regard.
