Egyptian Journalists Syndicate Condemns Killing of Lebanese Reporters, Calls It a “Full-Fledged War Crime”

The Egyptian Journalists Syndicate has issued a strong condemnation of what it described as the deliberate killing of three Lebanese journalists by Israel, calling the incident a “full-fledged war crime” and evidence of systematic violence against the press.

In a sharply worded statement, the syndicate said the victims — Ali Shuaib, a correspondent for Al-Manar TV, Fatima Ftouni of Al-Mayadeen TV, and her brother, cameraman Mohammed Ftouni — were killed after their vehicle was directly targeted in the southern Lebanese town of Jezzine.

The syndicate argued that Israel’s acknowledgment of targeting the journalists confirms that the attack was intentional, not incidental. It described the strike as part of a broader policy aimed at silencing journalists and preventing the documentation of events on the ground.

According to the statement, the deliberate targeting of media workers demonstrates that journalists are being treated as threats rather than protected civilians. The syndicate said such actions reflect a “systematic approach to eliminating those who seek to report the truth.”

The organisation also held the United States and its Western allies responsible for what it described as the continuation of such incidents, citing political and diplomatic backing that it says enables these actions. It further criticised what it called international silence, describing it as complicity.

Calling for urgent international action, the syndicate demanded an independent global investigation into the killings and urged that those responsible be brought before international courts. It also called for sanctions to deter further attacks on journalists.

The statement stressed that continued inaction over the targeting of media professionals undermines global commitments to press freedom and human rights, warning that it represents a stain on the international community.

In addition, the syndicate urged journalists and media organisations worldwide to escalate professional and union-led efforts, moving beyond statements of condemnation to coordinated pressure aimed at protecting reporters in conflict zones.

The organisation concluded that the deaths of the three journalists would remain a lasting testament to the risks faced by media workers, adding that attempts to silence the truth would ultimately fail, as independent journalism continues to play a vital role in documenting events and informing the public.