Issam Abdallah was diligently covering events near the village of Alma al-Shaab, located in close proximity to the Lebanese-Israeli border. In this tense region, confrontations between various militant factions, including Hezbollah from Lebanon, and the Israeli military have grown increasingly intense.
Abdallah, a vibrant personality, has been fondly remembered on social media for his wit, intelligence, and profound compassion. Erika Solomon, a former correspondent for both the Financial Times and Reuters in the Middle East, reminisced about Abdallah's kindness, recounting an incident where he accommodated a kitten she was nursing during an assignment by fashioning a makeshift bed from his helmet.
Shortly before he was murdered, Issam Abdallah shared an Instagram photo, depicting himself donning a helmet and flak jacket adorned with the word "press". Journalists usually wear "press" jackets to avoid being mistaken for targets, however, Israel seems to see them as legitimate targets nonetheless.
Tragedy struck the rest of the group of journalists on the scene too, leaving six others wounded, including individuals from Reuters, Al Jazeera, and Agency France-Presse.
Maher Nazeh, a fellow video journalist from Reuters, described the harrowing moment, stating that the team was documenting missile launches originating from the Israeli direction when one struck Abdallah as he was seated on a low stone wall alongside the rest of the group.
Subsequently, another missile struck their vehicle, engulfing it in flames. Several injured journalists remain hospitalised, while Issam Abdallah's funeral was scheduled to be held on Saturday in the southeast of Lebanon.
