Issam Abdallah
Male
Verified Issam Abdallah was a Lebanese video journalist for Reuters. He was killed on October 13, 2023, in Alma al-Shaab, Lebanon, by an Israeli strike.
Their Story
Issam Abdallah was a 37-year-old video journalist from Lebanon who worked for the international news agency Reuters. He had been with the agency for over a decade, covering major events across the Middle East, including the conflict in Syria and the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
On October 13, 2023, Abdallah was part of a group of journalists from Reuters, Agence France-Presse (AFP), and Al Jazeera reporting from a hillside near the Lebanese border village of Alma al-Shaab. They were filming cross-border shelling between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants. According to reports from Reuters and the Committee to Protect Journalists, the group was struck by two separate munitions fired from the direction of Israel. Abdallah was killed instantly by the first strike, which also injured several other journalists.
The incident occurred during a period of escalating cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. This followed the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military operation in Gaza. The fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border represented a significant expansion of regional hostilities.
Reuters issued a statement confirming Abdallah's death and calling on Israel to conduct a thorough investigation. The Lebanese government and the journalists' union in Lebanon condemned the strike. The Israeli military stated it was reviewing the incident, noting it was a zone of active hostilities and that it does not target civilians.
Abdallah was remembered by colleagues for his professionalism and courage. His death was cited by press freedom organizations, including Reporters Without Borders, in their documentation of journalist casualties during the conflict. Reuters established a memorial fund in his name to support aspiring journalists in Lebanon.
Explore Further
Issam Abdallah was killed during the Israel?Hezbollah clashes (concluded November -0001). See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: James Miller, Fadel Shana, Ahmad Abu Hussein, Shireen Abu Akleh.
