Lebanese photojournalist Christina Assi carries Olympic Torch in honour of fallen peers in Gaza

A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon has carried the Olympic Torch in Paris in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field - especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence France-Presse was among six journalists struck by Israeli shelling on 13 October while reporting on a fire exchange along the border between Israeli troops and Hezbollah militants. The same attack killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah. Assi was severely wounded and had part of her right leg amputated. AFP videographer Dylan Collins, also wounded in the Israeli attack, pushed Assi’s wheelchair as she carried the torch across the suburb of Vincennes on Sunday. Their colleagues from the press agency and hundreds of spectators cheered them on. AFP, Reuters and Al Jazeera have all accused Israel of targeting their journalists who maintained they were positioned far from where the clashes were raging, and with vehicles clearly marked as press. International human rights organisations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said the 13 October attack was deliberate and should be investigated as a war crime. The Israeli military at the time said that the incident was under review, maintaining that it didn’t target journalists. While Assi doesn’t believe there will be retribution for the events of that fateful October day, she hopes her participation in the Olympic torch relay can bring attention to the importance of protecting journalists. The torch relay, which started in May, is part of celebrations in which thousands of people from various walks of life are chosen to carry the flame across France before the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony on 26 July. #journalismisnotacrime #afp #lebanon #gaza #gaza_strip #journalism #journalists #mediafreedom #olympicgames #olympics #olympics2024 #paris2024 #parisolympics #parisolympics2024 #paris #2024olympics #torchrelay #olympictorch