Lebanese Photojournalist Injured in Israeli Strike Carries Olympic Torch to Honor Press

VINCENNES, France — A Lebanese photojournalist, Christina Assi, carried the Olympic torch in Paris on Sunday to honor journalists wounded or killed in the field. Assi was one of six journalists struck by Israeli shelling on October 13, 2023, while covering clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border. The attack resulted in the death of Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and severe injuries to Assi, leading to the amputation of part of her right leg.

The torch relay, part of the celebrations leading up to the Olympics, started in May. Around 10,000 participants from various backgrounds are carrying the flame across France, culminating in the Games’ opening ceremony on July 26.

AFP videographer Dylan Collins, who was also injured in the same attack, supported Assi by pushing her wheelchair during the relay in Vincennes. The event was marked by cheers from their colleagues and hundreds of spectators.

Assi expressed profound sadness for her fallen colleague, Abdallah, stating, “I wish Issam was here to see this. And I wish what happened today was not because we were struck by two rockets. I wish I could have honored journalists this way while walking and in my best health.”

AFP, Reuters, and Al Jazeera have accused Israel of intentionally targeting their journalists. They argue their team was positioned away from active clashes, in vehicles clearly marked as press. International organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called for an investigation, labeling the attack a possible war crime.

Collins emphasized the need for justice, stating, “This is a chance to continue talking about justice, and the targeted attack on Oct. 13 that needs to be investigated as a war crime.”

The Israeli military has maintained that the incident is under review and that it did not intend to target journalists. Assi, while holding the torch, stated that her participation was meant to send a message about the importance of protecting journalists so they can work without fearing for their lives.

In late November 2023, two more journalists, Rabih al-Maamari and Farah Omar of Al-Mayadeen, were killed in an apparent Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon. They were covering the ongoing conflict.

Assi remains skeptical about retribution for the October attack but hopes her actions will highlight the need for journalist protection. “For me, justice comes the day I can stand up again, hold my camera, and get back to work,” she said.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has reported at least 108 journalist deaths since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, the majority occurring in the Gaza Strip. The war was triggered by Hamas’ unexpected attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people and resulted in 250 abductions. Israel states that around 120 hostages are still being held by Hamas, with about a third believed to be dead. The conflict has led to the deaths of more than 38,000 people in Gaza, according to its Health Ministry.

Hezbollah militants and the Israeli military have been engaging in frequent skirmishes along their border for the past nine months.