US senator’s revelations show Israel does not investigate war crimes against journalists; US and international community must step in

US government failed in its duty to pursue accountability for American journalist Dylan Collins, targeted in the October 13, 2023, Israeli attack that killed Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah 

Washington, December 11, 2025 — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Amnesty International USA today joined U.S. Sens. Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large) at the U.S. Capitol to demand accountability for Israel’s systematic targeting of the press since October 7, 2023.

For the first time publicly, Welch revealed that Israel has closed a review into its military’s October 13, 2023, targeted double-tap strike on a clearly identifiable group of journalists in southern Lebanon without ever interviewing the only American journalist it wounded, or requesting the extensive evidence held by news and human rights organizations. The targeted attack killed Reuters video journalist Issam Abdallah, critically injured AFP photojournalist Christina Assi, resulting in the amputation of her right leg, and wounded five others, including Welch’s constituent Dylan Collins, a U.S. citizen from Vermont and an Agence France-Presse (AFP) video journalist. 

“This was not a ‘fog of war’ incident. It was a war crime carried out in broad daylight and broadcast on live television,” said Collins. “As an American, I thought my government would fight for me. I thought that when an American citizen is wounded in an attack carried out by the U.S.’s greatest ally in the Middle East, that we would get answers.”

In June 2025, the Israeli embassy told Welch that its review had concluded that no soldiers violated instructions or the Israeli military’s rules of engagement. It concluded its review without ever interviewing Collins or requesting the extensive evidence held by news and human rights organizations. This admission indicates that the targeting of the journalists — who were clearly marked as press and broadcasting live — was considered permissible under Israel’s military policy. 

Yet, in October 2025, the Israeli government contradicted its previous admission to Welch, telling AFP: “The incident is currently under review, and the findings regarding the event have not yet been concluded.” An Israeli spokesperson told CPJ in December 2025: “The event is still being examined.”

The Israeli government conveyed to Welch in July 2025 that the Israeli military does not deliberately target civilians or journalists, claiming that reports that the seven journalists were the target are false. The closure of this preliminary review means that the case will not be referred for criminal investigation by Israel. 

“Here’s the bottom line: The Netanyahu government has made it crystal clear that they never had serious intentions to investigate the deadly October 2023 attack that wounded Dylan Collins. It isn’t asking much of the Israeli government to conduct an investigation that meets international standards and to punish those responsible for this attack. Yet for over two years, we have done everything reasonably possible to get answers and accountability, only to be stonewalled at every turn. But we’re not going to give up our fight for answers,” said Welch. “We’re demanding accountability from the Israeli government and our own to get justice for Dylan, his colleagues, and every member of the press targeted by the IDF since October 7, 2023.” 

“For decades, Israel’s purported investigations have functioned not to establish facts or deliver justice, but to shield Israeli forces from accountability for the targeted killing of journalists. The international community must now step in to break that pattern of impunity by ensuring effective war crimes investigations are opened,“ said Amelia Evans, CPJ’s advocacy director. “Failing Dylan Collins is an unacceptable dereliction of a vital responsibility of the U.S. government — to defend U.S. citizens around the world. The Trump administration must uphold its duties to its citizens.”

CPJ calls on U.S. authorities to promptly open a war crimes investigation into the October 13 attack on Collins. The organizations also reiterate their calls for the international community to ensure that all cases of targeted killings of the press by Israel since October 7, 2023, are independently and impartially investigated as war crimes, given Israel’s unwillingness to prosecute international crimes committed by Israeli forces. CPJ has determined that a total of 59 journalists and media workers have been directly targeted and killed by Israeli forces since October 7, 2023 — cases it classifies as murders. Israel has not opened a formal criminal investigation into any of these apparent war crimes. 

The U.S failing to respond when its own citizen is deliberately targeted sends a dangerous message that attacks on American journalists abroad will carry no consequences.

“Over two years ago, Dylan Collins was injured by an IDF strike that left one reporter dead and several of his colleagues hospitalized alongside him,” said Van Hollen. “Since that strike, there have been no answers or accountability regarding what happened to Dylan and his colleagues. This silence has become part of a pattern of attacks on journalists by the IDF, with no resolution and no justice. It’s long past time for the U.S. government to live up to its stated commitment to defend American citizens abroad, and pursue accountability for this attack — it is essential not only for justice for Dylan and his colleagues, but also for the defense of press freedom around the world.”

“For over two years, I have demanded accountability for the journalists who were harmed from a targeted attack in southern Lebanon,” Balint said. “Dylan Collins, an American and a Vermonter, was severely wounded. A Reuters journalist, Issam Abdallah, was killed instantly. AFP journalist, Christina Assi, suffered catastrophic injuries. Four others were wounded by shrapnel. All of them were clearly identified as press. Netanyahu’s extremist government continues to commit acts of violence against civilians, and the Trump administration is failing to protect Americans’ safety. I will continue to oppose any attempt to intimidate or silence the press, and seek accountability for the victims and their families.”

“More than two years have passed without accountability for the October 13 attack,” said Elizabeth Rghebi, the MENA advocacy director at Amnesty International USA. “Israel must not be allowed to continue to kill and attack journalists with impunity. Those responsible for the unlawful attack on October 13 by Israeli forces must be held to account. We urge U.S. authorities to open an independent and thorough war crimes investigation in this case and to ensure accountability goes to the top of the Israeli military’s chain of command.”  

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement: “For more than two years, we have demanded answers about Israel’s deadly attack on a group of journalists, including an American and Vermonter. Having killed nearly 250 journalists in two years, it is clear Israel has no intention of investigating their crime. But it is even more outrageous that our own government — under both Biden and Trump — has helped that coverup. This Israeli impunity continues because of Washington’s silence. We will not forgive. We will not forget. And we will keep demanding justice.” 

The October 13 attack was the first case CPJ documented of Israeli forces targeting journalists following October 7, 2023 — a pattern that has since expanded into dozens of similar cases. Independent investigations by AFP, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reuters, and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon all concluded that Israel likely conducted a deliberate attack on a group of clearly identifiable members of the media. It is one of the most well-documented cases of Israeli targeting, as it was filmed live while the journalists were broadcasting for AFP, Al Jazeera, and Reuters, and because — unlike in Gaza — international investigators have been able to access the site. 

In May 2024, Collins presented testimony and video evidence of the double-tap strike to the State Department as well as to FBI and Department of Homeland Security war crimes investigators. In October 2024, 12 members of Congress demanded that the Biden administration open an investigation on the October 13 targeted attack that injured Collins, but the administration failed to deliver any meaningful accountability. 

The Israeli military justice system has a long and well-documented record of failing to investigate or prosecute unlawful killings. CPJ’s May 2023 report, “Deadly Pattern,” found that over 22 years, at least 20 journalists were killed by Israeli forces — including U.S. citizen Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022 — and no one has ever been charged or held responsible for these deaths. Since October 7, 2023, that pattern has escalated dramatically.

More than 200 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel in Gaza, with CPJ documenting at least 246 deaths in total across the region by Israeli forces. This is the deadliest period for journalists since it began tracking data in 1992. No one has ever been held accountable.

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About the Committee to Protect Journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.

To interview a CPJ expert, please email [email protected]. Here is a video recording of the press conference, a factsheet on the recent developments in the case, and remarks from Amelia Evans, CPJ’s advocacy director.